november - Grand Encampment, Knights Templar

VOLUME LVIII NOVEMBER 2012 NUMBER 11

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VOLUME LVIII NOVEMBER 2012 NUMBER 11Published monthly as an official publication of theGrand Encampment of Knights Templarof the United States of America.ContentsGrand Master’s MessageGrand Master David Dixon Goodwin............... 4Knights Templar Holy Land Pilgrimage............. 9David Dixon GoodwinGrand MasterJeffrey N. NelsonGrand Captain General and Publisher3112 Tyler ParkwayBismarck, ND 58503-0192Images of the 65 th Triennial Convocation....... 12Introducing Michael Burke Johnson,Right Eminent Grand Captain General........... 14An American ThanksgivingReverend Sir Knight Donald C. Kerr................ 21Introducing Larry W. BrownEast Central Department Commander........... 22The Liverpool Masonic Rebellionand the Grand Lodge of WiganDr. David Harrison......................................... 23The Holy Sepulcher or the Garden Tomb?Sir Knight Joseph M. Gilbert.......................... 29FeaturesPrelate’s Chapel ..........................................................6In Memoriam..............................................................7A Chat With The Managing Editor...............................8The Knights Templar Eye Foundation..................10, 15Letters to the Editor..................................................17Grand Commandery Supplement.............................18Knightly News...........................................................32Holy Land Pilgrimage................................................32Beauceant News.......................................................33Address changes or correctionsand all membershipactivity including deathsshould be reported to theRecorder of the local Commandery.Please do notreport them to the editor.JOHN L. PALMERManaging EditorPost Office Box 566Nolensville, TN 37135-0566Phone: (615) 283-8477Fax: (615) 283-8476E-mail: ktmagazine@comcast.netMagazine materials and correspondenceto the editor should be sent in electronicform to the managing editor whosecontact information is shown above.Materials and correspondence concerningthe Grand Commandery state supplementsshould be sent to the respectivesupplement editor.Lawrence E. TuckerGrand RecorderGrand Encampment Office5909 West Loop South, Suite 495Bellaire, TX 77401-2402Phone: (713) 349-8700Fax: (713) 349-8710E-mail: larry@gektusa.orgKnights at the Bookshelf...........................................34 Cover photo copyrighted byKochergin.Grand Encampment Web Site: http://www.knightstemplar.orgknight templar3

Grand Master’s MessageThe leaves have fallen from the trees,there is a chill in the air, Novemberis upon us, and our thoughts movetoward our next holiday, Thanksgiving.This is the time when we as Christian Masons,Knights Templar, must pause to thankGod for all the blessings He has bestowedupon us. We must thank Him for our familiesand loved ones upon whom our lives arebuilt. These are the people that support usduring good times and bad and are alwaysthere with a smile and a hug to make ourlives better.We must thank Him for the good health hehas given us that allows us to live the style oflife that we desire. While we are grateful forour good health, we pray to Him for thosewho are in sickness and distress, that they toomay recover and enjoy the bounties of this wonderful life He has made available to us.We must thank Him for the friends we have that make our lives enjoyable, especiallyour fellow Knights Templar with whom we share this great fraternity. In Templary,our fellow Sir Knights and their families should be our extended family. Our lives aredrawn together through Templary and Freemasonry, and we should be thankful forthe opportunity to share our values, ideals, and lives in this wonderful cause.We must thank Him for the freedom He has given to each of our countries underthe banner of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar. Only in free and democraticnations may our ideals and values flourish. We must thank Him for the soldiersof all of our countries who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our freedoms.We must thank Him for and remember those who have given the ultimate sacrificeto keep us free.The officers and ladies of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar join withmy Lady Marci and me in wishing you a blessed, happy, and thankful Thanksgiving.Courteously,David Dixon Goodwin, GCTGrand MasterThe future is ours! We must seize the moment!Every Christian Mason should be a Knight Templar.4 november 2012

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Prelate’sChapelbyRev. William D. Hartman, Right Eminent GrandPrelate of the Grand EncampmentSomeone once said, “Any fool can count theseeds in an apple. Only God can count theapples in a seed.” Those brave Pilgrims wholanded aboard the Mayflower in 1620 on theNew England shore fled persecution in Englandand came to a new land to freely practice theirreligion, unfettered by the restrictive laws of their country. That first year was one ofmisery, disease, death, and near-starvation, but their hope was in God, and the nextyear they celebrated a good harvest amid friendly natives in a day of thanksgiving.Little did they know then the “apples in a seed;” how God would bless this new landand have it grow into the best, the finest country in the world — “one nation, underGod, with liberty and justice for all.”This month we remember that beginning, the valiant history that followed, andthe continuing guidance of our loving Heavenly Father. Let us follow the advice ofBrother and President George Washington who in October of 1789 issued a proclamationwhich, in part, reminds us: “it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge theprovidence of Almighty God, ... to be grateful for His benefits and humbly to imploreHis protection and favor; [especially] to recommend to the people of the UnitedStates a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging withgrateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God ...”We also observe another day in November which has special significance. It wasat 11:00 a.m. on the eleventh day of the eleventh month that World War I ended.We called it Armistice Day for many years, remembering that day when all prayedthat war would be no more, but just twenty-five years later we were embroiled inanother World War. We know that over the years of our national history, many gavetheir lives to preserve the liberties and freedom of this nation, so we observe VeteransDay, a day when we honor all, living and dead, who served in the Armed Forcesto protect us and keep us a strong and free nation.Amid the frenzied pace of another national election, let us pause and give thanksfor the freedoms we enjoy and for those who have kept us “one nation under God,”for it is God alone who can keep us free and strong. Remember, only God “can countthe apples in a seed.”6 november 2012

Charles D. KolbeWisconsinGrand Commander 2005Born: June 4, 1934Died: August 31, 2012Golden Butler Adkins, Jr.West VirginiaGrand Commander 2006Born: April 5, 1951Died: August 25, 2012Charles Hobart SmithUtahGrand Commander 1992Born: April 19, 1922Died: June 15, 2012Hollis Doyle SimpsonMississippiGrand Commander 2008Born: December 31, 1945Died: August 23, 2012knight templar7

A Chat With The Managing EditorAs an engineer, I have always been interested in efficiency. As a KnightTemplar, I am all about chivalry. One of the primary components of chivalryis selflessness as opposed to selfishness.I noticed something at the Triennial session of the Grand Encampment that I wantto share with you. The elevators at the hotel were not quite up to the load our meetingsimposed on them, and there was some frustration on everyone’s part. Whenour meetings were dismissed on the bottom floor, I noticed several of the Sir Knightsand their ladies go to the escalator up one floor and press the down button on theelevator because they knew it would be easier to catch a down elevator than an upelevator. As a result, when the elevator opened on the bottom floor where they reallyneeded one, instead of everyone getting off as they should have, no one did. Thiswas the equivalent of jumping in line in front of everybody else. Not only that, butit slowed the efficiency of the entire process by unnecessarily taking people wherethey really didn’t need to go.This display of selfishness was noticed by several of the Knights, particularly theyounger ones. Even worse, it was noticed by many of the hotel’s other patrons. Iguess I should be grateful that the other patrons didn’t know that the ones whowere doing this were the leaders of our fraternity, those who are supposed to besetting an example for the rest of us.I guess that I would only comment that being a Knight Templar is not somethingyou do; It is something that you are, and that you are never off duty. Sometimes it’sthe little things that speak louder than the big things like presenting all those checksto the Eye Foundation and the Holy Land Pilgrimage. Deliberately, I chose not tonotice who those folks were, because I don’t want to personally think less of any ofmy Brethren. Ignorance is sometimes a good thing. One good thing has come out ofthis; I now use it as an example to our high potential emerging leaders of how notto be chivalrous.Finally, let us be united in the memory of and in support of those in our militaryto whom we owe so much. I hope you will join me at the polls.John L. PalmerManaging Editor8 november 2012

Knights Templar HolyLand PilgrimageOur Mission: To send ordained Christian ministers on a Biblical study andhistorical and cultural immersion experience who would nothave the opportunity otherwise.Purpose:To strengthen Christian ministry by providing an intensive traveland study program for full-time, ordained ministers in the formof a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Our experience tells us howmuch the opportunity to “walk where Jesus walked” can positivelyaffect the preaching, teaching, and spirituality of Christianministers. It is our plan to immerse the pilgrim ministers in theland, the sights, the sounds, the history, and the cultures of theHoly Land, past and present.The Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage of the Grand Encampment organizes andsupervises the planning and execution of the overall program and the pilgrimagetravel groups each year. Travel is usually done during February and March. Pilgrimagesare eleven days long with nine days in the Holy Land.The cost per Pilgrim Minister varies from year to year and is announced in the springby the Chairman of the Grand Encampment Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage.The fees cover:Round trip flights from New York to Tel Aviv and returning to New York,airline fuel surcharges and airport taxes, nine nights accommodations,eight breakfasts, seven lunches, eight dinners, and otherbasic fees and program expenses.Fees do not cover:Personal incidentals, souvenirs, or travel from home area to NewYork. (It is highly recommended that each state committee considercovering the cost of this domestic flight).The Grand Encampment Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage does not fund thetravel of Pilgrim Ministers. Each state’s Grand Commandery or sponsoring localCommandery of Knights Templar covers the cost of the Pilgrim’s travel.To find more information, go to the Grand Encampment web site and see thepurpose/activities page.knight templar9

Knights TemplarEye FoundationResearch GrantsOn July 20, 2012, Sir Knight A. C. “Jerry” Holzer, Right Eminent Grand Commanderof Ohio, had the special privilege of presenting two researchgrants at the Cole Eye Institute of Cleveland Clinic. The recipients are bothdoing research in Pediatric Ophthalmology and received sixty thousand ($60,000)dollars and fifty-eight thousand ($58,000) dollars respectively from the Knights TemplarEye Foundation.Dr. Fatema Ghasia has been working as a clinical fellow in Pediatric Ophthalmologyand Strabismus (eye alignment) at Duke University and recently relocated to ClevelandClinic. The proposal of her research is Mechanisms of Pattern Strabisms: Role ofTorsion versus Supra-nuclear Neural Circuits.Ms. Lauren Beene from Flint, Michigan has a Master’s Degree and two years of medicalschool. The proposal of her research is an Investigation into the Biochemistry andDevelopment of the Zonule, and the Biomechanical Properties of the Ocular Coats.The goal of this study is to improve the understanding of how Marfan syndrome(MFS) affects the eye and to offer diagnostic, treatment, and management strategiesfor patients.We publish letters and articles from avariety of sources and points of view.The opinions expressed in these articlesdo not necessarily reflect theopinions or policy of the Grand Encampment,the Knight Templar magazine,or the Editorial Review Board.10 november 2012

From left to right above are Dr. Daniel Martin, Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Eye Institute;Dr. Fatema Ghasia, recipient; Ms. Lauren Beene, recipient; and A. C. “Jerry” Holzer,Right Eminent Grand Commander.I found this carving on the stone wall inside the dining hall of the Grand Master’sPalace of the Order of Malta on Rhodes. See anything familiar? The Ed.knight templar11

Images of the 65 th TriennialConclave of the Grand Encampment of the Unites States of America12 november 2012

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SIR KNIGHT MICHAEL BURKE JOHNSONRIGHT EMINENT GRAND CAPTAIN GENERAL2012 – 2014Michael B. Johnson was bornin Riverton, Wyoming on July11, 1951, to Burke and DonaJohnson. He received his elementaryeducation for five years in a two roomcountry school at Crowheart, Wyomingand graduated from Dubois High Schoolin 1970. Mike and his wife, Judy, live onthe family ranch in Crowheart wherethey continue to work in the livestockindustry. Mike and Judy have two sons,three daughters, and five grandchildren.Mike was initiated, passed, and raisedin Dubois Lodge No. 53 in 1984, serving asWorshipful Master in 1991. He is currentlyserving as Junior Grand Warden in theGrand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Wyoming.In 1985 he joined the Fremont CountyYork Rite bodies. He served as HighPriest of Mt. Horeb Chapter No. 6 (currentlyserving as treasurer), IllustriousMaster of Lander Council No. 4, andCommander of Hugh de Payne CommanderyNo. 7. Other York Rite memberships in-Photo by John P. Westerveltclude Holy Order of High Priesthood; Thrice Illustrious Masters of Wyoming; EmmanuelConclave, Red Cross of Constantine; Knights of the York Cross of Honor; EqualityYork Rite College No. 92, receiving the Order of the Purple Cross in Houston, Texas;Agnus Dei Tabernacle No. XLIV, HRAKTP; Wyoming Chapter Order of Knights Preceptor;and St. Bernard Commandery No. 41 in Denver, Colorado. In 2007 he served asGrand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Wyoming. During the 65 th trienniumhe served as Northwest Department Commander for Grand Encampment, andin August 2012 he was elected Grand Captain General.Mike is also a member of the Valley of Sheridan, Scottish Rite Bodies; PhilalethesSociety; 9 th grade of Council Masonic Societas Rosicruciana in Cibitatibus Foederatis;Royal Society of Knights Occidental; Royal Order of Scotland; St. Thomas of Acon; TrinityChapel No. 12, Grand College of Rites; and Allied Masonic Degrees in Wyoming.14 november 2012

NEW CONTRIBUTORS TO THE KTEF CLUBSGrand Master’s ClubSteve E. McGlocklin..................................AL Gary Nordlinger...................................... DCGeorge Richard Peters..............................SC James W. Mitchell................................... DCKapihana Pai.............................................NJ Lewis Flanders Fish.................................. FLDean Douglas Rein................................... UT In Memory of Ronald R. Stringham......... UTWilliam H. Koon, II...................................OH Russell A. Koetke.................................... WYEmmett B. Alcock..................................... VA George Eugene Meck...............................PADavid Brian Emmitt...................................KY Lawrence E. Lathrop, Jr............................ IDOtto Gerald Uecker................................. WY Rodrigo Luna Callo.................................. CARichard J. Hartung................................... VA John K. March..........................................PAGrand Commander’s ClubSamuel R. Smith, III.................................. DE Newell K. Barker...................................... OKEdwin Martin Lindke.................................TX Marlene F. Rogers................................... GARobert O. Finley...................................... WY Joel Alexander Black, Jr. ......................... NCKenneth Bryant Hooks............................. NC Donald William Wooster......................... NCJames Terry Dean, Jr.................................KY Joel W. Thomas ..................................... MDPierre Letourneau.................................... VT Dean Douglas Rein.................................. UTJohn Raymond Goodwin.......................... VA Willie Hallman, II....................................... ILJ. B. Woods.............................................. CA Patrick C. Murphrey................................ VAEmmett B. Alcock..................................... VA David Brian Emmitt..................................KYJames Thomas White................................SC Lawrence Jay Leib................................... MIEdwin Deloach Groover...........................GAKnights Templar Eye FoundationHow to Join the Grand Commander’s or the Grand Master’s ClubsAny individual may send a check in the amount of $100 or more specifiedfor the purpose of beginning a Grand Commander’s Club membership and madepayable to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. This initial contribution will beginyour Grand Commander’s Club membership. In addition, members of theGrand Commander’s Club pledge to make annual contributions of $100 or more.Once contributions total $1,000, the individual is enrolled in the Grand Master’sClub. Membership is open to individuals only, and Commandery credit is givenfor participation. Information is available from: Knights Templar Eye Foundation,Inc., 1033 Long Prairie Road, Suite 5, Flower Mound, TX 75022-4230, Phone (214)888-0220 Fax (214) 888-0230.knight templar15

Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc.1033 Long Prairie Road, Suite 5Flower Mound, TX 75022-4230Phone (214) 888-0220Fax (214) 888-0230.Greetings Sir Knights,Fall is my favorite season of theyear. Nature slowly begins tochange; the leaves are turning,revealing an explosion of colors; thereis a soft nip in the air. I begin to thinkabout pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving dinnerwith my family, and lots of collegefootball. Fall is also a time of reflection,reminding me that I should pause andtake stock of all I am blessed with. It isindeed a time of thanksgiving.Our order has been touched by the providence of God; we are a blessed people,you and I. However, not everyone is as fortunate as we are. No matter where you arein our great country, you only have to pause a moment to look around and see thosein need, those who are truly less fortunate than ourselves. Seeing this need anddesiring to make a difference in the lives of others, in 1955 during the 46 th Triennial,the Knights Templar Eye Foundation became a reality.Since that time, Knights Templar across our nation have joined together to keepthis dream alive. Have our efforts worked? You bet they have. Will our efforts makea difference in the future? Make no mistake; they will impact the lives of countlessthousands of people. Our ability to impact the lives of others simply depends on usand our commitment.When you gather with your families, and your homes are alive with the soundsof joy and laughter and the sweet aroma of all the Thanksgiving foods we enjoy,pause a moment and remember how blessed we are. Would you also think aboutwhat you can do for others? It is my hope you will consider the Knights TemplarEye Foundation.No gift is too small or too large. The dollar you give just might be the one whichfunds the cure for one of the many diseases of the eye that we want to eliminate.Together, Sir Knights, we can do great and seemingly impossible things. I leave youwith this; “But for the grace of God, there go I.”Happy Thanksgiving and God bless,Terry L. Plemons, KGC16 november 2012

Sir Knight John Palmer,First, I just wanted to say “Way to go,”and give you a pat on the back. I for oneam very proud to call you a Brother andfellow Knight Templar. I am referring tothe letter you put in the last issue of ourmagazine, (March) concerning somethingabout a vote. I agree 100% withthe way you handled it and showed howa true Knight and Mason should be.Second, I would like to point out toall your readers that like you stated,you have at least 108,000 readers. I amsure that if any one of them were to bein your shoes, small things would slipthrough once in awhile. Maybe it’s justme, but I have a lot of bigger things toworry about than typos in a magazine.I also wanted to write you about thequestion you asked, “What one thingwould I change in Commandery?” It mayseem trivial to a lot of people, but thisproblem goes all the way back to BlueLodge. I also, in my opinion, think this isa big reason why we lose so many membersafter they have become Entered Apprentices.I encountered this problem allthe way up through my degrees from E.A.to Master Mason, through York Rite, andalso in being knighted. The problem is allthe foul language and cursing that goes onbefore the meetings, (sometimes during)by men that call themselves Christians. Iask you, would these same men talk thatway if they were standing in a Churchtalking to other members? I have hearddirty jokes told, the Lord’s name taken invane, other curse words, and even the “F”word. Not just from the same man butfrom several different men from differ-knight templarLetters to the Editorent Commanderies, Councils, Chapters,and Lodges. When I was first visited by acommittee to join the Masons, I was toldthat the Lodge was to be treated like aChurch, and as a Christian, I was happy tohear this. Then after a few meetings theystarted getting use to me, and I startedhearing all this bad language and dirtyjokes. If other Christian men are cominginto the Masons to work their way up tobecoming a Christian Knight Templar, andthey start hearing this kind of talking asan E.A., they stop coming, which keepsthem from becoming a Knight Templar. Iask, “What kind of an example are we settingas CHRISTIAN Knights Templar andMasons to each other, these young E.A.s,and most of all to God?”Thank you, and keep up the awesomework you are doing; next to my Bible Ienjoy reading my Knight Templar magazinethe most.Your BrotherIn Christ’s Love,Sir Knight Phillip McConnellSir Knight John Palmer,If I could change one thing about howTemplary is done, it would have to be thefull form opening for the Order of theTemple. This opening is excessively longand superfluously detailed. The natureof this opening is so complicated that itfrustrates and alienates several potentialSir Knights from Templary who otherwisewould prove to be great assets to thisbranch of Freemasonry. Some knowl-Continued on page 20.17

General SupplementThe space on these two pages is provided by the Knight Templar magazineto be used by the Grand Commanderies to communicate with the individualSir Knights in their jurisdictions on a monthly basis. From timeto time and for various reasons, we fail to receive any material from theeditor of the state supplement for a given month. When this happens,we take the opportunity to offer you the information below. – The Ed.Sculpture in Rome, Italy. Photoby the editor.18 november 2012

Symbol of the city of Segovia,Spain. Note the image of theancient Roman Aqueduct on theshield. Photo by the editor.knight templar19

Letters to the EditorContinued from page 17.edgeable Masons have told me that thisopening is by far the most complicatedopening that is recognized by the GrandLodge of Tennessee, and I believe thisclaim without a hint of question.Sincerely,Sir Knight Jason KeattsHello Sir Knight John,slowly add the other officers as financesallow. We claim to have some type of affiliationto the Poor Knights of Christ, yetwe look like anything but.I understand that as in Blue Lodgeand other bodies, the monthly meetinghas little to do with what our degreesand orders are all about, and that shouldchange. I think men join looking forsomething cool, something “knightly,”not just another monthly meeting. Maybeour tactics can more resemble our orders;exactly how I am not sure withoutmore consideration. Many Sir Knights Ispeak with complain about the uniformsand the ritual of opening and closing asbeing too similar to other bodies or havinglittle to do with our orders.Concerning the mission statement, Iam not a writer, so coming up with a missionstatement would be difficult for me,but I do have ideas that perhaps a realwriter could put into words better than I.I do consider “A Christian Chivalric Orderdedicated to Honor, Charity, and the Protectionof the Defenseless” an excellentand noble start and should be included.We are making men who would upholdthese values, so maybe that idea can beincorporated and maybe something regardingour history or connection or emulationwith the Poor Knights of Christ orKnights Templar of old.Thank you for the work you put intothis magazine, I certainly appreciate itas many do. I too believe Sir Knight Rickheimowes you an apology.This is in response to your requestfor input from the March issue regardingchanges in Templary and the missionstatement. What would I like tochange in Templary? We should bemore “knightly.” I believe Masons joinKnights Templar looking for somethingspecial, and I believe we sell them short.Last year, my Grand Commander askedme what I think average people think ofwhen they hear about modern KnightsTemplar. I said, “the Knights of Columbus,we look exactly like them.” If peoplethink of the Knights Templar in general,they think of actual Knights, armor, horses,broad swords, etc. Why should wework twice as hard to convince peopleof what and who we are? I think weshould look more knightly, maybe thecap and mantle or white tunic with apassion cross, something that makes uslook more like knights, just like many ofthe covers of Knight Templar magazine.I know there are thousands of men Raymond Telnock,who do not want to buy another uniform.Maybe we can start small and have plar of PennsylvaniaDivision Commander 13 of Knights Tem-the dais officers in this new uniform and20 november 2012

An American ThanksgivingByReverend Sir Knight Donald C. KerrFor Americans, November is theseason of Thanksgiving. It is aspecial time, differentfrom what it is in other countries.It is an occasion to celebrateour patriotism. Impliedalso in that celebration is a heritage ofreligious significance.George Washington for example, in thedarkest days of The RevolutionaryWar, has been reportedto have been on hisknees in prayer.Our money likewise carries the inscription,“In God We Trust.” In that famousdocument, The Declarationof Independence, we canread, “All men are createdequal; they are endowedby their Creator with certain inalienablerights.”In 1777, the Second Continental Congressdeclared, “It is the indispensableduty of all men to adore thesuperintending providenceof Almighty God.” A yearlater, Benjamin Franklinaddressed the ContinentalCongress, saying, “Gentlemen, I havelived a long time and am convinced Godgoverns the affairs of men.”Thomas Jefferson would confess thatGod had given freedom to the humanmind, and in 1861, AbrahamLincoln, before leav-knight templaring Springfield, Illinois said,“Without the assistance of theDivine Being, I cannot succeed.With that assurance Icannot fail.”When Dwight Eisenhower was President,he said, “Our form of governmenthas no sense unlessit is founded in a deeplyreligious faith.” Likewise,did John F. Kennedy say,“God’s work must truly be our own.”Such is the religious and patriotic heritagethat we celebrate on Thanksgiving.Therefore, let us be ever grateful!The Reverend Sir Knight Donald C. Kerr,a member of Beauseant CommanderyNo. 8, Baltimore, MD, is Pastor-emeritusof the Roland Park PresbyterianChurch in Baltimore. He resides at 700John Ringling Boulevard, Apt. E202,Sarasota, FL 34236-1586.Subscriptions to the Knight Templarmagazine are available fromthe Grand Encampment officeat a rate of $15.00 per year. Individualissues in quantities ofless than 10 can be obtained for$1.50 each from the office of themanaging editor if available. Inquirevia e-mail to the managingeditor for quantities in excess of10. Some past issues are archivedon our web site.http://www.knightstemplar.org.21

Meet Our New Department CommandersSir Knight Larry W. BrownRight Eminent East Central Department Commander 2012-2014Larry W. Brown was born June 23, 1947, to Donald E. Brownand Waneta M. (Kean) Brown. He was born in Bluffton, Indianaand graduated from Bluffton High School. In 1966he joined the United States Air Force as a military police officer.After leaving the Air Force, he moved to Muncie, Indianaand became a Muncie police officer where he met his wife, Suanna.He retired from the Muncie Police Force after 30 years,advancing to the position of Deputy Police Chief. Larry and Suannahave five children and seven grandchildren and are activemembers of New Burlington United Methodist Church.Larry has a degree in building construction. He is a realestate professional and an Indiana Venture Capitalist. HePhoto by John P. Westerveltalso graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1993. He attended NorthwesternUniversity for Budgeting and Administration. In pursuit of a Bachelors degree incriminal justice, he attended Ball State University for two years and also took classesat Northwestern University, University of Louisville, and the University of Virginia.Larry served eight years as an elected official for Delaware County. He is a past boardmember of Big Brothers & Big Sisters and of the Mental Health Association. He alsowas an Explorer Scout Advisor.Larry’s Masonic career started in April 1962, receiving the DeMolay Degree. Raisedto the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in 1986 at Whitney Lodge No. 229, New Burlington,Indiana, he served as Worshipful Master in 1995; he is a dual member of ParkerLodge No. 630, currently serving as Worshipful Master. He was exalted a Royal ArchMason in Muncie Chapter No. 30 and served as Excellent High Priest in 2000. He wasgreeted a Cryptic Mason in Muncie Council No. 16 and served as Illustrious Master in1998. He was created a Knight Templar at Muncie’s Commandery No. 18 and served asEminent Commander in 1998 and 1999. Larry is now affiliated with the Anderson YorkRite, where he served as Eminent Commander in 2005. Larry was elected Grand Commanderof Indiana for 2009-2010 and received the Knight Commander of the Temple.He joined the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in 1987 and is a dual member withthe Valleys of Indianapolis and Ft. Wayne, currently serving as Junior Warden, DariusCouncil, Princes of Jerusalem and is a Knight of St. Andrew. Larry is a Past Governorof Fort Wayne York Rite College No. 55, receiving the Order of the Purple Cross in2005. He is also a Past Indiana Deputy Grand Governor.Larry is also a Knight of the York Cross of Honor with a dual membership with Ft.Wayne Priory No. 8 and J. Herbert Nichols No. 76. He also belongs to Yeoman of York,Indianapolis Preceptory No. 4; Allied Masonic Degrees, Willard M. Avery No. 409; RedCross of Constantine, St. Basil Conclave; Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, GennesaretTabernacle XVII, the Royal Order of Scotland; the Indianapolis Murat Shrine; the Orderof the Secret Monitor; the Order of the Cork; and the Order of the Bath.22 november 2012

The Liverpool Masonic Rebellionand the Grand Lodge of WiganThe first in a series of articlesByDr. David HarrisonOnndthe 22 of December 1823, agroup of Masonic rebels met atthe Shakespeare Tavern in WilliamsonSquare in Liverpool to re-establishthe “Antient” Grand Lodge, a GrandLodge that had officially merged withthe “Moderns” ten years previously. Thegroup of Freemasons, led by local tailor,Michael Alexander Gage, were rebellingagainst the central control of Londonand what they saw as the “tyranny” ofthe Duke of Sussex, who had neglectedtheir grievances concerning the ritualisticand administrative practices which hadbeen imposed on them. The rebellion inLiverpool was the culmination of discontentwithin the large Lancashire Province,which seemed to have been simmeringsince the union of the “Antients” and the“Moderns” Grand Lodges in 1813.The “Moderns” or “Premier” GrandLodge which claimed to be the officialbody of English Freemasons formed in1717; they had been central to the modernizationof Freemasonry. However, in1751 the “Antients” Grand Lodge wasformed which rebelled against the “Moderns”for what they saw as their tamperingwith Freemasonry. Both GrandLodges existed side by side throughoutthe remainder of the eighteenth century,operating as rivals, but in 1813, theycame together and formed the UnitedGrand Lodge of England, though, as weshall see, some lodges in certain areas ofEngland were not happy with this move.knight templarThe “Antients” had different ritualisticviews; for example, besides having theusual three Craft degrees, they practiseda fourth degree called The Royal Arch,though the “Moderns” used The RoyalArch ritual as an awkward “add-on” totheir third degree. Administration wasalso different, both Grand Lodges havingdifferent methods of running their lodges.The “Antients” had traveling warrantswhich meant a lodge could in effect travelaround the country. The lodge couldalso die out, but its warrant could be purchasedand a lodge set up elsewhere. 1The Lodge of Friendship No. 277 inOldham had witnessed disruption a fewyears after the union in 1817, the bickeringbetween the brethren splitting thelodge in two, the rift only being healedthe following year after the direct interventionof the Provincial Grand Master,Francis Dukinfield Astley. 2 Disruptionsin Liverpool had previously taken placein 1806 when the Grand Secretary ofthe Antients Grand Lodge was forcedto write a letter to Lodge No. 53b whichmet at the Cheshire Coffee House at OldDock Gate, after receiving a complaint,apparently from other Liverpool Antientlodges, that the lodge was open atunreasonable hours and that severalmembers of the lodge were confinedfor breaking into a warehouse and stealing.The Grand Secretary requested thatthe lodge should suspend all Masonicbusiness until they were cleared of the23

charges brought against them, but despitethis request, the lodge continuedto meet. The Mayor of Liverpool becameinvolved when he received a letter fromthe other Antient lodges of the port, andthe Committee of the Masters of theAntient lodges in Liverpool started anofficial investigation which concludedthat Lodge No. 53b had been involved in“unmasonic behaviour” resulting in theirwarrant being withdrawn by the AntientGrand Lodge in 1807. The following yearhowever, despite all the trouble, a numberof the brethren of the erased lodgewere desperately seeking a new warrantto form a new lodge. 3The Liverpool rebellion of 1823 certainlyreflected the spirit of internal bickeringand “unmasonic behavior” that hadresulted in the closure of Lodge No. 53b.The rebellion was also tainted with anelement of isolationism and networking“cliques” within the lodges. Some of theoutlying industrial towns such as Wigan,Warrington, and Ashton-in-Makerfieldhad strong business links to Liverpool,mainly in relation to the cotton and coaltrade, and these towns became the locationsfor lodges which came under thesway of the rebels. Many of the Liverpoollodges, like other lodges based inthe neighboring industrial towns, werealso suffering from low membership, andin the acrid climate where the threat ofclosure and the loss of traditional rightscaused increasing dissatisfaction amongthe Masons, revolt spread quickly, gainingmomentum and stamina.Many of the Liverpool Masonic rebelswho were mainly a collective of Liverpooland Wigan based tradesmen andmerchants, eventually returned to theUnited Grand Lodge, renouncing theirinitial grievances and apologizing, buta hardcore remained, and under theleadership of the tempestuous MichaelAlexander Gage, the rebels created thegroundbreaking Magna Charta of MasonicFreedom and formed the “GrandLodge of Free and Accepted Masons ofEngland According to the Old Constitutions”which was later to become theGrand Lodge held at Wigan. 4 The MagnaCharta of Masonic Freedom was a boldMasonic statement for the time, themajority of which was probably writtenby Gage himself. It reflected the rebels’grievances and outlined their hopefor an independent future, but it alsoreflected Gage’s egotistical personalityand set him up as a “founding father” ofthe re-launch of “Antient” Freemasonry.Ironically, many of the Liverpool basedMasonic rebels were originally from outsideLiverpool, such as Gage, who wasborn in Norfolk; John Robert Goepel, aJeweler who originated from London;and James Broadhurst, a watchmakerfrom Great Sankey near Warrington.Broadhurst had settled in Liverpool inthe early 1790s, where he set himself upas a watchmaker. With the outbreak ofthe French wars, Liverpool was rife withpress gangs, and Broadhurst was forcibly“inrolled” into the Navy in 1795. Heserved as an able seaman on the Namur,taking part in the decisive Battle of CapeSt. Vincent on the 14 th of February 1797,which was an outstanding victory forthe British, revealing the brilliance ofNelson. In December of 1800, Broadhurstwas transferred to the San Josef,one of the two captured Spanish shipsfrom the battle which displayed Nelson’sflag for a time in early 1801. It would beanother two years before Broadhurstwas released from service, and he returnedto Liverpool and to watchmak-24 november 2012

ing. 5 In 1817, like many veterans of theNapoleonic Wars, he entered into Freemasonry,joining the Merchants Lodge,and in 1820, he subsequently joinedthe Ancient Union Lodge where he wasto serve as Worshipful Master. Both ofthese lodges included members thatbecame actively involved in the rebellion,6 and Broadhurst, having served onthe San Josef when Nelson had hoistedhis flag on the ship, would have beenseen as a local naval hero, giving him arespect which would have made him anobvious leading figure in the rebellion. 7Broadhurst like Gage took an activepart in the Provincial Grand Lodge meetingsand was quick to join his fellow Masonictradesmen in the rebellion, sharingthe same grievances and freely giving hissignature to the document which outlinedthese issues. The discontent had developeda year after Broadhurst had becomea Freemason and quickly gatheredpace, the Lancashire Province suffering inpart due to the neglect of its ProvincialGrand Master, Francis Dukinfield Astley,who never took action in Liverpool orWigan to diffuse the situation. Perhaps,like his fellow tradesmen, after survivingthe Napoleonic Wars and hardshipsof the early decades of the nineteenthcentury, Broadhurst sought equality andfreedom of speech which was perhapsthe initial attraction to a society which hefelt held those qualities.At a Provincial Grand Lodge meetingheld at Ye Spread Eagle Inn in HangingDitch, Manchester, during October of1818, a motion was passed which declaredthat any Lodge whose membershipis reduced to less than seven should notbe considered a regular Lodge and thewarrant declared void. This motion,whichwas seen as a move to correct a defectknight templarin the New Constitution-Book, was actuallymade by Michael Alexander Gagewith the overwhelming support of his fellowbrethren. This motion was then dulypassed on to the Board of General Purposes,but instead of it being presentedby them to the United Grand Lodge, themotion was not reported, and the Boardremained silent on the issue. Certain Liverpoollodges such as the Ancient UnionLodge No. 348, an old “Antient” lodge,only had ten members at the time, andthe lodge had held an emergency meetingprior to the Provincial Grand Lodgemeeting, sending a brother to attend,keeping an eye on the proceedings. 8Many lodges at this time, especiallyin the industrial areas of Lancashire, hadsuffered a decline in the wake of theUnlawful Societies Act of 1799. 9 Freemasonrywas suffering stagnation in theprovince with only a scatter of new lodgesactually being founded in the area duringthe early decades of the nineteenthcentury. 10 When the Unlawful SocietiesAct was passed in July 1799, Freemasonrywas unavoidably affected, Masonry havingto adapt to what many saw as oppressivelegislation. The original proposal ofthe bill would have completely bannedFreemasonry along with other oath takingsecret societies, but the Earl of Moiraand other leading Freemasons from the“Moderns,” the “Antients,” and the ScottishGrand Lodge prevailed upon PrimeMinister William Pitt the Younger toamend it by exempting Masonic lodges“sitting by the precise authorization of aGrand Lodge and under its direct superintendence.”11In the wake of the Act, the declinecontinued, especially in the industrialareas of Lancashire, and the majorityof the Liverpool lodges, some suffering25

more than others from low attendance,bonded together. The low attendanceled some Freemasons to join other lodgesas well as their existing lodge, suchas when Broadhurst and some otherbrethren from the Merchants Lodgewho were to play an important role inthe rebellion joined the Ancient UnionLodge, a move which ensured not onlythe survival of the struggling lodge butwould have created greater bonding betweenthe brethren. 12In September 1819, it was proposedby Gage that a letter should be drafted, 13addressed to the Grand Master himself,the Duke of Sussex, which would thusoutline the grievances of Gage and hissupporters, and focus on the fact thatthe motion passed during the meetingthe previous year had not been presentedby the Board of General Purposes tothe United Grand Lodge. In the letter tothe Duke, the rebels also referred to anincident in Bath where petitions for RoyalArch Chapters were dismissed by theGrand Chapter because it was:“not desirable to make the number ofChapters in any place equal to the numberof Lodges.” 14The rebels seized upon this example,and being of “Antient” persuasion, theyindicated that they saw the Royal Archas part of Craft Masonry, and that therejection of the petitions was an abuseof power. The Duke of Sussex howeverdid not reply to the letter. Indeed, theMasonic historian Beesley puts forwardthat the letter may have been destroyed,as it was addressed directly to the Dukeof Sussex and not addressed throughthe normal administrative channels ofthe United Grand Lodge. 15 The fact thatthere was no reply only intensified theanger of the rebels and culminated in adecisive meeting in the Castle Inn, NorthLiverpool on the 26 th of November of1821 which would launch the revival ofthe “Antients.”The Duke seemed to have been dismissiveof any disagreeable elementswithin Freemasonry and had little sympathyfor rebels within the society. Suchwas the case with the outspoken Freemason,Dr. George Oliver, whose removalfrom his provincial office was engineeredby the Duke after Oliver incurred his dislike.16 The letter had been extremely directand revealed the anger felt by therebels, complaining how certain “Modern”practices were being enforced andhow new rules concerning the Royal Archconflicted with the “Ancient Landmarks.”Gage and his fellow rebels had given theDuke plenty of time to reply, but with noresponse it could be said that the Dukehad played into their hands.This period was certainly a sensitiveone, and certain local lodges had theirown slightly different and almost eccentricpractices. Hampered by the increasingneglect of the Provincial Grand Masterwithin the rebellious areas of Liverpooland Wigan and with a growing feelingthat their rights in the society were beingeroded by the tampering of Londonbased officials, the Liverpool rebels grewextremely sensitive to the transition of theunion regarding the “Antient” and “Modern”practices. Trouble had been simmeringslowly during 1819, with disruptions inLiverpool with the Merchants Lodge, theSea Captains Lodge, the Lodge of Harmony,and Lodge No. 394 in Chorley near Wigan.It had been thought that the trouble hadbeen settled by a visit from the ProvincialGrand Secretary in May of that year, but it26 november 2012

was just a sign of more serious trouble tocome.The decisive meeting at the CastleInn in North Liverpool in November of1821, set the final scene for rebellion. Adocument was drafted with thirty-foursignatures, including those of Gage andBroadhurst, outlining the dissatisfactionfelt by the rebels. The other lodges includedin the rebellion were Lodge No.74 and Sincerity Lodge No. 486, bothbased in Wigan, as well as a number ofbrethren from the Liverpool based MarinersLodge No. 466, the Ancient UnionLodge, the Sea Captains Lodge, and theMerchants Lodge.Broadhurst was the Worshipful Masterof the Ancient Union Lodge in 1821,and along with a number of brethrenincluding William Walker and ThomasBerry, he represented their lodge in therebellion, adding their signatures to theCastle Inn document. Broadhurst, apartfrom being the senior member of hislodge, became vital in gaining supportfor the rebellion from the Ancient UnionLodge and would have been secure ingaining an important role in the rebelGrand Lodge. Representatives fromBroadhurst’s original lodge, the MerchantsLodge, included liquor merchantJohn Eltonhead who later was connectedto the Castle Inn as landlord, 17 tailorDaniel Mackay, tanner John Manifold,and excise man Samuel Money Blogg.To be continued in next month’s issue.knight templarEnd Notes1See David Harrison, The Genesis ofFreemasonry, (Hersham: Lewis Masonic,2009). Also see David Harrison,The Transformation of Freemasonry,(Bury St. Edmunds; Arima, 2010).2See Minutes of the Lodge of Friendship,No. 277, Masonic Hall, Oldham,26 th of February, 1817 – 20 th of May,1818. Not Listed.3Letters concerning the Lodge at theCheshire Coffee House, Old Dock Gate,No. 53b [erased], Liverpool Annual Returns,AR/906, 1797-1809, Library andMuseum of Freemasonry, UGLE, GreatQueen Street, London.4The Grand Lodge of Free and AcceptedMasons of England According to the OldConstitutions, first met officially in Liverpoolin the July of 1823, which resultedin the declaration of the “Magna Chartaof Masonic Freedom” which was read outin the aforementioned meeting in theShakespeare Tavern the following December.The “Magna Charta of Masonic Freedom”was a document which put forwardthe theme of a new dawn in Masonry, freefrom what seen as the “despotic power” ofthe United Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodgefirst met in Wigan on the 1 st of March,1824, with no mention of the Grand Lodgemeeting in Liverpool again after 1825. Itbecame known as The Wigan Grand Lodge.5See 1841 Census for Liverpool,Lancashire. Liverpool Library. Ref:HO107/561/15, where Broadhurst is stillworking as a “Watchmaker” aged 69.6Family papers of James Broadhurst.Private collection. Not Listed. See alsoMinutes of the Ancient Union Lodge No.203, 1795-1835, Garston Masonic Hall,Liverpool. Not Listed.7Nelson hoisted his flag on the San Josefin January, 1801 after arriving at Plymouthbut transferred his flag to the St.George less than a month later. The respectfor able seamen who had servedunder Nelson is displayed in early nineteenthcentury literature, such as in Redburnby Herman Melville. Redburn wasbased on Melville’s own visit to Liverpool27

in 1839, and in the book, on arriving inLiverpool docks, a description of the“Dock-Wall Beggars” is given. The sailorswalking past the beggars ignored them,except for one; “an old man-of-war’sman, who had lost his leg at the battleof Trafalgar,” his wooden leg being madefrom the oak timbers of the Victory. Thisbeggar was respected by the sailorsand “plenty of pennies were tost [Sic]into his poor-box” by them. See HermanMelville, Redburn, (Middlesex: Penguin,1987), p.261. A reference to the statusof being a naval hero is also made inCharles Dickens’ David Copperfield, byMr. Micawber, a character who is downon his luck but who is also honest. Micawberdescribes himself as “a gallantand eminent naval hero,” see CharlesDickens, David Copperfield, (New York:Sheldon and Company, 1863), p.138.8E.B. Beesley, The History of the WiganGrand Lodge, (Leeds: Manchester Associationfor Masonic Research, 1920), pp.2-4.9See David Harrison and John Belton,“Society in Flux” in Researching BritishFreemasonry 1717-2017: The Journal forthe Centre of Research into Freemasonryand Fraternalism, Vol. 3, (Sheffield: Universityof Sheffield, 2010), pp.71-99, andDavid Harrison, “Freemasonry, Industryand Charity: The Local Community andthe Working Man”, in The Journal of theInstitute of Volunteering Research, Volume5, Number 1, Winter, 2002, pp.33-45.10A somewhat rare example of a survivinglodge that emerged during this stagnantperiod was the Blackburn basedLodge of Perseverance No. 345, constitutedin 1815, a lodge that certainlylived up to its name.11See L.A. Seemungal, “The EdinburghRebellion 1808-1813”, AQC, Vol. 86,(York: Ben Johnson & Co. Ltd.,1973),pp.322-325. Also see Harrison, Transformationof Freemasonry, pp.5-10.12See A List of the Members of the AncientUnion Lodge No. 203, 1792-1887,Harmonic Lodge No. 216, 1796-1836, &St. George”s Lodge of Harmony No. 32,1786-1836, C.D. Rom: 139 GRA/ANT/UNI,The Library and Museum of Freemasonry,UGLE, Great Queen Street, London.13Beesley, Wigan Grand Lodge, pp.4-5.14A copy of the address to His RoyalHighness Prince Augustus Frederick, TheDuke of Sussex, Grand Master of theUnited Grand Lodge of Ancient Free andAccepted Masons of England, in Beesley,Wigan Grand Lodge, p.132.15Beesley, Wigan Grand Lodge, p.5.16R.S.E. Sandbach, Priest and Freemason:The Life of George Oliver, (Northamptonshire:The Aquarian Press, 1988), p.99.17Liverpool Mercury Friday 16 th of May1823, Issue 624, in which is stated that“A well accustomed Inn, known by thename of the Castle Inn North, situatedon the West side of Scotland Road, nowin the occupation of Mr. John Eltonhead,with good stabling for 7-8 horsesand rooms over.” Also in the LiverpoolMercury 4 th of November, 1825, issue754, which recorded the death of MaryKirby age 67, widow of Thomas Kirbyand mother of John Eltonhead, CastleInn North, on the 29 th of October 1825.Family papers of John Eltonhead. Privatecollection. Not listed.Dr. David Harrison is a history lecturer, havingcompleted his Ph.D. on the history ofFreemasonry in 2008 at the University ofLiverpool. The thesis was published by LewisMasonic titled The Genesis of Freemasonryand is available at all good book outlets. Theauthor can be contacted via the Lewis Masonicwebsite: www.lewismasonic.co.uk28 november 2012

The Holy Sepulcher,or the Garden Tomb?BySir Knight Joseph M. GilbertSir Knight Shade’s article “Guardthe Sepulcher, An Account of theHistory of the Tomb of Christ froman Archaeological Perspective,” KnightTemplar, June 2012, is an excellent compressionof a multi-century archaeologicalhistory. It takes the reader througha long, often historically disconnected,series of events that have lead to a currentperspective that this location is thetraditionally accepted burial site of JesusChrist. I compliment him on this guidethrough that difficult historical journey.The discussed archaeological historyis, however, replete with caveats thatcause the reader to pause. Such phrasesas “for reasons never stated,” “apparently,”and “presumably” reinforce thefactual status that this location is onlyaccepted as the “traditional” site ofChrist’s tomb; it lacks any solid evidenceon which to base a more definitive claimof authenticity. Per the author, the firstvisual evidence was over 400 years old,1. “Golgotha” near Garden Tomb, viewed from slightly off direct center. When viewedfrom directly in front, the “skull” is much more pronounced.knight templar29

2. Part of “wine press” in garden, near the Garden Tomb.and that constituted drawings. We donot actually know what it really lookedlike, so the drawings may be inaccurate.Further statements such as “… dependson the assumption…” reinforce this limitationof authenticity. The author furtheramplifies this uncertainty in his ownstatement that “Everything learned…but there is no proof.” That statement istrue; there is no proof that this site is theactual burial site of Jesus Christ.Further, the author’s assertion thatthe known facts “…can only be interpretedin light of existing knowledgeof Jewish burial practices…” by its faceeliminates other considerations if onlyone interpretation is acceptable. Likewise,his assertion of “logical reasons” issuspect, as no such reasons are given.All of what the author describes maybe true. The Tomb of the Holy Sepulchermay be the burial tomb of Christ, butthe author, by his own words of focusingon only one source, stretches the credibilityof the assertion that the Tomb ofthe Holy Sepulcher is the tomb of Christ.The additional uncertainties, properlyincluded by the author, also raise realquestions about the validity of this claim.The author makes passing mention ofthe “Garden Tomb” and then only as anexample of what might have been sucha tomb 2000 years ago.The Garden Tomb is much more thana mere example.1. It is located adjacent to a hill soresembling a skull as to be frighteninglyeerie. (picture 1)2. It has a passing roadway at thebase of the skull where the condemnedand crucified were observed, mocked,ridiculed, and insulted and where closeproximity to the torture of the cross insuredthat those observing would clearlyrecognize the awful punishment for anywho threatened or challenged the powerof Rome.3. It is outside the city.4. There is a garden there (picture 2),one which archeologists tell us (for rea-30 november 2012

3. “Tomb” opening at the Garden Tomb. Entrance is directly in the center, the rectangleopening in the solid wall.sons such as the part of the wine pressshown) belonged to a wealthy person.5. There is a tomb (picture 3) whichrequires one to stoop, and the featuresinside the tomb are of biblical descriptions.The features which are describedas absent at the Tomb of the Holy Sepulcher,are precisely presented in theGarden Tomb.The Tomb of the Holy Sepulchermay in fact be the burial place of JesusChrist. However, there is a growingbody of archeological evidence to thecontrary. Based on the location, theproximity to a very probable site of Golgothaand the roadway, the locationoutside the city, a garden of a wealthyman, and a tomb of precise biblical description,the Garden Tomb is more likelythe actual burial site of Christ. This is“evidence based,” not based on apparentdata, presumed information, visual“evidence” 400 years old when first recorded,limitations on considerations ofother options, unsubstantiated logicalknight templarreasons, and Eusebius’ assumption.Although not as well known or ashighly publicized as the Tomb of the HolySepulcher, the Garden Tomb deserves atleast equal consideration as the actualburial site of Jesus Christ. It may well bethat Eusebius’ assumption which is basicallythe entire foundation of the Tombof the Holy Sepulcher’s claim is an invalidassumption, thus vitiating that claimof the Tomb of the Holy Sepulcher.Like Sir Knight Shade, I too have hadthe opportunity to visit the Tomb of theHoly Sepulcher. Personally, the commercializationand publicity there faroutweighed its religious contribution. Ifound no peace there. I also had the opportunityto visit the Garden Tomb, toobserve “Golgotha,” to walk throughthe garden, and to actually enter a tomb,more probably, The tomb. There, I trulyfelt I was walking where Jesus trod. AndI truly felt His presence there.Either the Tomb of the Holy Sepulcheror the Garden Tomb may be the31

urial site of Christ, or it may be thateven another location, lost in obscurityto the darkness of unrecorded history,has the valid claim. We may never knowwith certainty. But wherever the actualTomb site of Christ is, or was, we absolutelyknow with certainty, it is EMPTY.Sir Knight Joseph Gilbert also tookthe photos in the article above. He isSenior Warden of Cyrene CommanderyNo. 42 in Dayton Tennessee. Heresides at 193 Pin Oak Dr. N.E., Cleveland,TN 37323 and can be contactedby e-mail at jmgilbert98@yahoo.com.Knightly NewsAt the 65 th Triennial Conclave of Knights Templar heldat Alexandria, Virginia, on August 14, 2012, the Republicof Panama was granted a Grand Commandery.Celebrating the Grand Commandery and installationof officers at the Grand Master’s Banquet were fromleft to right; Alexander Lopez, Grand Warden; RubenJose Levy, Grand Sword Bearer; Raul de Obaldia, Past Grand Master of Panama;Marcos David Ostrander, Deputy Grand Commander; Donald Prieto Garrido, KCT,Grand Commander; and Ricaurte Antonio Arrocha, Grand Sentinel.Letter from the Holy Land PilgrimageDear Duane (and Friends),I am amazed at how the Holy Land Pilgrimage continues to unfold its impact inmy life and ministry! I must mention again my gratitude and deepest appreciation tothe Knight Templar organization and their cause. My experience in Israel lives withme every day, and there is no turning in the pages of Holy Scripture but that I do notrecount some detail of the trip. Walking in the very footsteps of the ancient peopleof God and of my Lord has caused me to feel a connection in my faith that has neverbeen felt before and one that I will forever cherish. I still have to pinch myself tobelieve that I actually have “been there and done that!” To God be all glory, praise,and honor, now and forever!In Christ,Lonnie Darnell32 november 2012

La Crosse Assembly, Wisconsin, was pleased to initiate (Mrs. Wm.) Debra Reedat their May meeting. Worthy President, Mrs. Martin Callaway, also honoredthe mothers for Mothers’ Day and held a special apron day. Worthy Preceptress,Mrs. Betty Barnes, shared her beautiful apron quilt with the members. When shemoved from her home to an apartment, she had dozens of aprons of which sheneeded to dispose. Her daughter and our Chaplain, Mrs. Rae Canfield, secretlytook the aprons to afriend who made theminto a quilt for Betty. Itwas indeed a surpriseto Mrs. Barnes whenher daughter presentedit to her on herbirthday.Back Row L-R: GloriaRoble, Rae Canfield,Mary Lou Reilly, JudyBessinger, Betty Barnes,and Nancy Loper;2 nd Row L-R: Mary Callaway,Marjorie Braly,Marie Beissel, andPaula Schwartz;Seated L-R: DebraReed and Marion Baker. Betty and daughter holding the apron quilt.knight templar33

Knightsat the BookshelfBySir Knight John L. PalmerBrethren, An Epic Adventure of the Knights Templar, by Robyn Young, published byPenguin Group 2007, ISBN 978-0-452-28833-1.This novel is the first in a series of three which include Crusade and The Fallof the Templars by the same author. It traces the life of the main character,William Campbell, a Scot who from youth becomes associated with andlater becomes a Templar. It is set in the time frame of 1260 AD - 1314 AD and moreor less accurately portrays the battles and main characters involved in the Templarorder, the Saracens, and the courts of France and England at that time. The bookuses many archaic terms that were used in those days and includes a glossary ofthe terms used.Since the author is a lady, there is a love interest included in the plot which is unusualin Templar novels. I think our ladies may find this series interesting. The customs,rules, and lifestyle of the Templars and the opposing forces seem to be portrayedaccurately. Each volume is nearly 500 pages long, so it is not a weekend read.It is action packed and includes intrigue, treachery, and exciting battle scenes. Theparts about the siege of the various cities are particularly detailed and interestingfrom an historical and tactical perspective. You might want to buy the whole seriesat the onset as it is a real page turner. This is another entertaining and educationalseries for the reader of Templar fiction.34 november 2012

knight templar1121 Broad St – Wesmark Plaza Suite 11Sumter, SC 29150$1102 Button $1503 button $80$80“The Knights Templar &the Protestant Reformation”Happy Thanksgiving Brothers & SirKnights! Please consider purchasing oneof Sir Knight James Stroud’s 3 availablebooks (or all 3), before the end of theyear – 100% of all money made will go theTemplar Eye-Foundation and it will helpa fellow SK (me) in getting reviews frommy peers (you). Please visit my updatedsite at www.TheFreeKnights.org for orderinginformation as well as Free DVDsand Templar information, or simply orderbook/eBook thru www.Amazon.comor www.BarnesAndNoble.com, (or yourlocal bookstore); great Thanksgiving orChristmas gifts for a great cause!Book 1: “The Knights Templar & the ProtestantReformation”- My Masters in History topic linkingthe Templars with early Protestantism.Book 2: “Christianity in the 22 nd Century” –My Masters in Theology topic on the biggestobstacles for the future of the faith.Book 3: “Mere Christian Apologetics” 35– Ashort book on reasons why Christianity is trueeven for the skeptic.

Knight Templar5909 West Loop South, Suite 495Bellaire, TX 77401-2402Photo taken in Toledo, Spain by the editor.