Scottish Rite History – Page 9

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 542 – Bestor G. Brown and the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906

Part 542: Bestor G. Brown and the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906

Map showing the range of the San Francisco earthquake in 1906

I discovered an interesting article about Bestor G. Brown and the San Francisco earthquake while researching Freemasonry in Kansas during 1906. It is a fascinating eyewitness account of the natural disaster and subsequent fire. Brown was in town attending a meeting at the San Francisco Masonic Temple. It was while lodging at the Union League Club that Brown experienced the first tremors during the early morning hours on April 18, 1906. The earthquake triggered several fires that burned the city for two days. This article really gives you a sense of Brown’s personality, story-telling ability and charisma, much more so than any published history. The article was first posted in the “Topeka Daily Capital” on April 25, 1906, page 7.

Here is the first half of the article:

“Bestor G. Brown who is in Topeka attending the Scottish Rite Masonic reunion, was in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake, and puts in the time at the Masonic hall, when he is not helping with degree work, in relating his experience. Most of yesterday afternoon he sat in a big armchair in the smoking room and lodge quarters and told the story of the disaster. His audience changed continuously and he would finish the story to one party, some fresh listeners would drop in, and he would have to tell the story over again for their benefit.

The San Francisco earthquake as reported by the Cincinnati Post

The fires that raged for two days after the San Francisco earthquake on April 18, 1906

The same area after the fires swept through San Francisco from April 18-20, 1906

He stated that if it had not been for the fire, the damage to San Francisco would have been comparatively slight. Many of the buildings were destroyed by the earthquake, but the largest and finest structures stood through the successive shocks, only to be consumed by the flames which swept over the unfortunate city. He left San Francisco in the afternoon of the day on which the disaster occurred and remained in Oakland until the next days before he started for Kansas. He arrived in San Francisco late Tuesday evening and his baggage was left at Oakland to be brought across the bay the following morning. What personal baggage he had with him at the time of the earthquake he saved so he lost nothing on account of the earthquake except his breakfast and dinner which he did not get.

“‘I can’t describe an earthquake of the feelings one has who experiences one,’ said Mr. Brown. ‘The best description I have heard of the earthquake, I heard from a Los Angeles man. He said that it was like he was a nice red apple in the top of a tree with a crown of husky boys around the tree trying to shake him down.

“All I can say is that I felt frightened and couldn’t tell why. I felt eight shocks. They say that there were forty-eight. I don’t know what became of the other forty. Eight was more than a plenty for me. I suppose that the first shock was the most severe, but it was the later ones that frightened me. I suppose that was because I was not thoroughly awake when the first one was in progress, and did not realize how severe it was until I got downstairs. The real horror about an earthquake shock is the uncertainty of it. You never feel just sure about how it will end or what it will do. A cyclone you can see and can form some idea of what will happen next, but with an earthquake it is all mystery and uncertainty.

“I got into San Francisco late Tuesday night and went to the Union League club. I was sleeping soundly at the time of the most disastrous shock. I got up, dressed and went out with my overcoat and grip. The destruction in that part of town had not been extensive. The fire that came afterward was the horrible feature. [The Union League Club is located at 1000 California Street and along with the Fairmont Hotel across the street, the only structure to survive the 1906 earthquake and fire in the area].

The Union League building where Bestor G. Brown stayed the evening of April 17, 1906. James C. Flood Mansion, 1000 California St., San Francisco

“It was curious to note the different effects the earthquake had on the buildings in different sections. In some sections the buildings were twisted and out of shape or totally destroyed and in others they did not seem greatly affected.

“The terror of each severe shock is something that cannot be forgotten. The longest shock I felt probably continued five seconds, but it seemed much longer. The earth seemed to rise and fall and rock back and forth and then finally the shock ended with a sudden jar. It felt like the rising up of some huge animal in an effort to shake something off its back. That is as near as I can describe it.

The ruins of the San Francisco Masonic Temple after the fire in 1906. This was where Bestor G. brown met with other Masons on the morning of April 18, 1906, after the earthquake.

“The Grand Chapter of Masons met in the forenoon at the Masonic temple and were holding their meeting when the military came in an said it was time to move as they were going to dynamite the Palace hotel.

I went out to the street and saw the fire creeping up from two sides. I saw it creep up to the back door off the meat market on Market Street and the minute it touched the rear of the building it seemed to sweep through and bulge out into the street in front. About the time I took to the woods, I started for the waterfront and got there in about an hour and a half.

“When I left the Masonic temple I saw the fire creeping into the center of town. I decided that the town was doomed and that I could do no good so I decided to get out. It was not so hard to get out if one used head and feet. It took me about an hour and a half to reach the waterfront, but I got there. I had to take a rather roundabout route, though, I would start down one street until I was stopped by fire. I would cross over the next street and maybe meet the military there being ordered to move on. And so dodging fires and military from street to street I finally reached the dock.

“My route took me down through the poorer part of town and it was almost ludicrous to see people trying to get out with their effects. They seemed to use anything that had casters on it and haul their things on. I saw one man shoving an old carpet lounge with some small articles on it down the streets. I wondered how long the cheap casters and legs of the lounge would last. I saw another man shoving a cheap piano stool ahead of him and all there was on it was a brass birdcage with a canary in it. It was funny, and still it was rather pathetic.

“At the ferry boat landing there was no confusion. I got there in time to catch the 2 o’clock boat to Oakland. The boat was greatly crowded. In fact it was not a larger load that can be frequently seen in the evenings at San Francisco. The crowd on the boat was not excited. The Southern Pacific was very nice about taking people out of San Francisco, but they would not take anybody into it. They ran their boats across the bay on schedule time and carried all who came to the dock without saying a thing about fares or trying to charge. At the Oakland docks the people were allowed to get into the suburban trains for Berkley, Alamdeda or Oakland, according as they chose to go, and they were carried free.

“When I got to Oakland I had not had breakfast or dinner so about the first thing I did was hunt up a restaurant. I ordered two poached eggs on toast. They were very fine. I had just eaten one of the eggs when I saw the chandeliers of the dining room begin to shake and I decided to eat another egg some other time. Everybody else left the dining room at the same time I did and without completing their meals so that I do not feel the least ashamed.

San Francisco on fire after the earthquake

“From Oakland I saw the most magnificent spectacle I ever witnessed in my life. The papers stated that the flames at San Francisco were fanned by a high wind. That is a mistake. The great clouds of smoke and flame floated straight up into the sky. I saw the Palace hotel catch fire and burn. It made a beautiful blaze. Wednesday night I went down to the pier to see about my trunks which had not been sent over to San Francisco the night before and so were never taken over. I loitered about the pier talking to the baggage man as he looked for my trunks. I looked across the bay and the sight was wonderful. The boats were still bringing people from San Francisco and I managed to slip into one of them before it started back to San Francisco. I remained on the boat as it came back across the bay to Oakland it looked like great waves of flames were following the boat an account of the reflection from the fire in the waves which were caused by the boat. The fire lit up the bay so that it looked like it was afire. It looked like a sea of fire.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 541 – Fifty Years of Freemasonry in Kansas, 1906

Part 541: Fifty Years of Freemasonry in Kansas, 1906

There were a few significant events that occurred during 1906; the same year that Sosman & Landis delivered new scenery and stage machinery to the Scottish Rite in Topeka, Kansas. 1906 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Freemasonry in the state of Kansas.

From the “Topeka Daily Capital,” 12 Feb 1906, page 6

The event was celebrated at the newly constructed Scottish Rite auditorium. The Scottish Rite bodies of Topeka spent over $20,000 furnishing their lodge room and stage. The stage measured thirty-five feet in depth and housed 110 new backdrops produced by Sosman & Landis (Topeka Daily Capital, 21 Feb. 1906, page 5).

“The Topeka Daily Capital” reported, “the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Most Worshipful grand lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas will be celebrated at the Auditorium February 22 during the session of the grand lodge in Topeka (The Topeka Daily Capital, 12 Feb. 1906, page 6). The article continued, “The semi-centennial celebration of the Masons will bring to the city the largest gathering of Masons that has been held and the Topeka bodies have prepared elaborate entertainment for the visitors. A. K. Wilson, grand secretary of the grand lodge, has secured the history of the first Masonic lodge in the state and relics of historical interest. The relics will be exhibited at the auditorium and will consist, among other things, the first Masonic seal used by the Kansas lodge. John W. Smith, who organized Smithton lodge No. 1 in Doniphan county and was the first master of the lodge in Kansas, made with his own hands the quaint seal, the square and compass and the candlestick, al made by Smith are now in the possession f Secretary Wilson and he also has three of the charters of the first five lodges organized in Kansas.

Smithton lodge No. 1 was organized in Doniphan county and met in six different places in the county and is now the lodge at Highland. When Mr. Smith organized Smithton lodge it met under a burr oak tree, east of Troy, on the Missouri river. A stump was used for the altar and the lodge was tiled by a man on horseback. A photograph of this tree has been secured and a complete history of the lodge from persons who knew about it. The veteran Kansas Mason who is to be present at the semi-centennial meeting is William Yates of Lawrence, the only living charter member of one of the first five lodges organized in Kansas. He belongs to the Lawrence lodge which was the fourth to be organized. The anniversary meeting at the Auditorium is open to the public. The main floor will be reserved for Masons and the gallery will be open to the public. The Art Music club, led by Prof. G. B. Penny, will furnish the music. Grand Master Samuel R. Peters of Newton will speak and Thomas E. Dewey will deliver the address of the evening. The week of February 19, will be devoted to the fiftieth communication of the grand lodge, the fifty-first convocation of the grand chapter and thirty-eighth assembly of the grand council.” The article included a schedule of events and officers for the semi-centennial celebration, school of instruction, chapter work, order of high priests, and council work.

Bestor G. Brown, from the “Topeka Daily Capital,” 14 February 1904, page 6

Bestor G. Brown moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1904. He was the western sales manager for M. C. Lilley

Bestor G. Brown (1861-1917) led the special committee on history and museum. Brown was the western representative of M. C. Lilley. Brown worked for M. C. Lilley in Chicago from 1892 to 1898, and then in Topeka, Kansas, starting in 1899. Brown moved to Kansas City by 1904, continuing as the western sales manager of M. C. Lilley Company in their new offices. Brown was instrumental in promoting the staging of degree work and Scottish Rite theaters in Little Rock, Arkansas (1896), Wichita, Kansas (1898), Guthrie (1900), Salina, Kansas (1901), McAlester, Oklahoma (1901), Fort Scott, Kansas (1904), and many others.

By 1903 Brown was credited with the creation and development of “the application of modern scenic properties to the dramatic presentation of all Masonic degrees and in this work is almost invariably consulted everywhere throughout the United States.” He was also the Grand Master of Kansas in 1904, and had been extremely active since his admission to the Fraternity in 1884.

Brown was praised for his devotion of Masonry and the article reported, “Mr. Brown is called the only Masonic stage carpenter in the country” (Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 12 June 1903, page 3). Less than a decade later, the counterweight system installed in Scottish Rite theaters by M. C. Lilley subcontractors (Sosman & Landis) was referred to as “”Brown’s special system.”

The first year after Brown passed away, members of the Wichita Consistory organized an annual pilgrimage to Topeka, Kansas, to honor of his memory (The Kansas City Kansan, 11 July 1918, page 1). The paper reported that Brown was “one of the most scholarly and best loved Kansas Masons. All of the Scottish Rite bodies in the state were invited to join in the placing of a floral tribute on the grave of ‘their best loved brother.’” Brown remained incredibly close to all Masonic activities in Topeka, and in 1906 the Topeka Scottish Rite stage was the crown jewel of the Southern Jurisdiction.

There are two significant moments to consider when examining the construction of any early-twentieth century Scottish Rite stage, as the production of Masonic scenery escalates. The first is that Brown is a fabulous salesman and extremely active member of the Fraternity; many Masons help promote his vision work. The second is that SGIGs have a monetary incentive to help Brown with this vision; starting in 1905, SGIGs personally received a $2 payment per incoming 32^nd degree Scottish Rite Mason. This practice lasted until 1909 when plans for the House of the Temple were implemented. Those lost funds were needed elsewhere. Setting the aesthetics and entertainment, there was already a dual incentive to build massive auditoriums that would accommodate ever-increasing candidate classes at Scottish Rite reunions.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 498 – The Financing of Scottish Rite Theaters, 1905

Part 498: The Financing of Scottish Rite Theaters, 1905

In yesterday’s post, I talked about the financial incentive for Sovereign Grand Inspector General’s to increase the membership of 32^nd degree Masons in their Orient (State); a 1905 resolution allowed them to received $2.00 per incoming 32^nd degree Mason until its repeal in 1909. During that time, membership was skyrocketing. The situation was comparable to the goose that laid the golden egg. There was a belief that future dues from a continually increasing membership would support the construction and maintenance of ever-increasing Scottish Rite homes. The idea that membership would always increase was not a realistic scenario and no one anticipated any decline, stock market crash, or a world war. No one also realized that during times of plenty, many Masonic leaders would not invest the funds into the maintenance and repair of their buildings as they aged; deferred maintenance would become the norm and is now causing many insurmountable problems.

Laying the cornerstone for the Santa Fe Scottish Rite, completed in 1912. The Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe Scottish Rite has many images of the construction and opening of this Masonic building.

There was something else, however, that facilitated the growth of the Fraternity during this first “golden age” of Masonic construction – the financing!

While I was doing research at the University of Texas’ Harry Ransom Center during the fall of 2016, I came across an intriguing letter from the western sales representative of M. C. Lilley & Co. – Bestor G. Brown. Again, Brown was the Past Grand Master for the State of Kansas in 1903. Brown belonged to many other Masonic orders, and was known as the only “Masonic Stage Carpenter” in the country. He also was the stage director for the Scottish Rite in Wichita, Kansas. Brown moved to Kansas City in 1904 where the regional offices for M.C. Lilley were located and formed quite a financial enterprise. As I mentioned yesterday, for Scottish Rite scenery and stage machinery production, Brown – on behalf of M.C. Lilley – subcontracted all work to Sosman & Landis of Chicago. Brown’s employer, M. C. Lilley and Co. was an established business with deep pockets; they could wait a while for payment on goods. THAT is what was needed to push the Scottish Rite into outfitting their theaters, sometimes beyond their means, with state-of-the-art stage systems. Many Scottish Rite theaters rivaled any counterpart on Broadway, Chicago, or the West Coast. Everything was top of the line at the time.

In 1913, Brown was negotiating a sale of stage machinery and a used scenery collection with the Austin Scottish Rite Bodies. He used their standard financing formula, allowing the Austin Scottish Rite Bodies to purchase 64 of Guthrie’s drops for $1,650. The drops had been accepted on credit toward the purchase of a new scenery collection in Guthrie, their first scenery collection was only eleven years old. Here were the standard terms for the production of a painted scenery collection, the manufacture of props, construction of costumes, delivery of stage machinery, stage lighting and the completed installation- a third due upon installation (in cash), a third due the following year, and the final third due in two years.

This financing was standard for most Scottish Rite endeavors delivered by M.C. Lilley. I am unsure how many other scenic studios or regalia suppliers cold afford to carry the debt of Scottish Rites across the country at that time. Brown even wrote, “In fact, if we had not been able to carry the Bodies in the Southern Jurisdiction as we have, we believe that fully one half of the development of the past ten years would not have been possible.” It becomes understandable why M. C. Lilley and their subcontractors dominated the market. From 1900 to 1904 there were a total of seven Scottish Rite Theatres outfitted with scenery and stage machinery by Sosman & Landis. From 1905 to 1909, there were sixteen Scottish Rite Theatres outfitted with scenery and stage machinery by Sosman & Landis – almost double. Between 1910 and 1915, there were another eighteen Scottish Rite Theatres outfitted with scenery and stage machinery by Sosman & Landis. This was simply their share of the Masonic market and represented approximately one quarter of all incoming work.

I believe that the special financing for Scottish Rite Bodies was HUGE! It presents how Scottish Rites were able to purchase state-of-the-art scenery, props, lighting and costumes; they were buying everything on credit and only had to pay a third upon receipt of goods. To pay off the new building and theater simply meant increasing membership numbers to generate even more income. It appeared to be a win-win situation.

Was everyone on board with the construction of Scottish Rite theaters and the staging of degree work? No, for many it went against the teaching and guidance of long-time Grand Commander Pike who reigned over the Southern Jurisdiction from 1859 to 1891. Although the Supreme Council had other Grand Commanders, there was no longer a unified vision directing the Scottish Rite. There were those who understood Past Grand Commander Pike’s desire that all of the members should take their time with the degrees to fully understand the Masonic instruction. There were others who saw the massive infusion of wealth into the organization. In 1915 an argument was made for the use of staged degree work in “Transactions of the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction” –

“The interpretation of a degree, either by picture or stage scenery or other adjuncts, and most frequently, is, allowable, because men may be taught through the eye and frequently with more ease and facility than through the ear” (page 84).

True, and the demographic had shifted over the past century to include those who were not the top intellectuals of the country. There were many farmers, ranchers, businessman, and others from the rising middle class of American Society. It was no longer a group of visionaries who supported public education, riding the crest of every social wave that washed over America.

The Fraternity had survived a period of anti-Masonic sentient during the nineteenth century. The few brilliant men who were prevalent in the order at the beginning of the 18^th century were replaced with hoards of “good men” by then end of the nineteenth century. There were still brilliant intellectuals, but they no longer dominated the organization. For some, the Scottish Rite became a social organization, with the great potential for networking their business; others held onto the message and potential to better mankind. Membership growth and massive candidate classes and increased activities blurred the divide. During the early nineteenth century, the enormous infusion of cash allowed some to place the construction of massive stone monuments ahead of the Fraternity’s mission. These large buildings were perceived as the Fraternity’s crowning glory – look what we achieved! In some cases it was a competition to see who could build the biggest and best in their Orient. Sometimes it became more about the building than the everyday message that the Fraternity offered to better the world.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 497 – Transactions of the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, 1905

Part 497: Transactions of the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, 1905

I am taking a brief pause from looking at Thomas G. Moses’ painting projects during 1905 to provide a little Masonic context for that year. Moses’ supervision of Scottish Rite scenery production would dramatically increase during the next five years. There are a couple of factors to consider as the Scottish Rite’s membership and the construction of Masonic theaters dramatically increased during this time. It is imperative to understand the structure of the Scottish Rite, however, before explaining significant Scottish Rite legislation that was passed during 1905.

Here is a very brief summary of how the Scottish Rite is organized. The Supreme Council, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, oversees the Scottish Rite in 35 states. There is also a Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, but I am not discussing that right now. The headquarters for the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction, or Mother Council of the World, is located in Washington, D.C. Presided over by a Grand Commander, other members of the Supreme Council are called Sovereign Grand Inspector Generals (SGIG). There can only be 33 Sovereign Grand Inspector Generals at one time; they are each in charge of an Orient. Other heads of the various Orients who are not members of the Supreme Council, are titled “Deputies” of the Supreme Council. Either an SGIG or Deputy is the Scottish Rite leader for any given state, or Orient, with any given number of Scottish Rite Valleys. For example, the Valley of Minneapolis is located in the Orient of Minnesota. Minnesota used to have an SGIG, but he retired and is now a Past Sovereign Grand Inspector General of Minnesota. We now have a new Deputy. Not all Deputies achieve SGIG status, as some are replaced when a new Grand Commander is installed.

As far as Scottish Rite degrees go, here’s the breakdown: There are four Scottish Rite Bodies divided by degrees – the Lodge of Perfection (4-14), the Chapter of Rose Croix (15-18), the Council of Kadosh (19-30) and the Consistory (31-32). A 32^nd degree Scottish Rite Mason has completed all of the degrees in the Scottish Rite up to the 32^nd. There is also an honorary 33^rd degree, the Inspector General Honorary, but that does not pertain to this particular tale and not everyone achieves that status.

That is the basic structure of the Scottish Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction, as my tale today pertains to the thirty-three Sovereign Grand Inspector Generals from 1905 to 1909.

In 1909, SGIG Harper S. Cunningham repealed a 1905 resolution. This action is recorded in “Transactions of the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction.” It was Cunningham’s name that made me stop and re-read the entry in the entry while I was looking for information to include in the timeline of “The Santa Fe Scottish Rite: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theater” (Museum of New Mexico Press, 2018). Cunningham was the SGIG of New Mexico in 1909. Previously, he was the SGIG for Oklahoma and Indian Territory.

Cunningham was instrumental in the growth of Scottish Rite membership in the western region of the Southern Jurisdiction during the end of the nineteenth century and first decade of the twentieth century. He was known as the “Temple Builder.” Cunningham helped expand the Scottish Rite in Oklahoma and Indian Territory, encouraging the construction of large Masonic facilities with theaters, such as in Guthrie and McAlester. They were designed to include theaters for the staging of degree productions, as those appearing in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and some of the Southern Jurisdiction. The use of theatrically interpreted degree gained popularity under the leadership of Charles Rosenbaum (SGIG Arkansas) in Little Rock.

Cunningham worked closely with Rosenbaum and Bestor G. Brown, the western sales manager of M. C. Lilley, a fraternal regalia and paraphernalia company. Brown was a Past Grand Master of Kansas (1903) belonged to many other Masonic orders, and was known as the only “Masonic Stage Carpenter” in the country. He also was the stage director for the Scottish Rite in Wichita, Kansas. Brown moved to Kansas City in 1904 where the regional offices for M.C. Lilley were located that year. For Scottish Rite scenery and stage machinery production, Brown – on behalf of M.C. Lilley – subcontracted all work to Sosman & Landis of Chicago. Joseph S. Sosman was also a Scottish Rite Mason.

In New Mexico during 1908, Cunningham helped lead the planning of the new Scottish Rite in Santa Fe. He was still working as the SGIG of Oklahoma and Indian Territory at the time, but soon requested to leave his SGIG position in Oklahoma to become SGIG of New Mexico. Cunningham also suggested the sale of the used scenery collection from McAlester, Oklahoma, to the Scottish Rite bodies in Santa Fe, New Mexico; this was to get the Santa Fe Masons used to degree productions for their new 1912 stage. He knew how to promote degree productions and get men excited about their new Masonic theater.

Many, including myself, have partially attributed the rapid growth of the Scottish Rite to the use of scenery and theatrically interpreted degrees. During the nineteenth century, the initiation of new candidates shifted from an individual to group activity, thus creating Masonic candidate classes. Each candidate class was named after an individual, place or event; one example is the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Cody Class, named for the 175 candidates from Camp Cody before they entered the WWI in 1918. Instead of one candidate receiving the degrees in a lodge room, degree productions allowed one exemplar to represent an entire class of candidates. These classes became massive, even numbering in the hundreds of candidates. In 1923, the St. Louis Scottish Rite theater had a seating capacity of 3,000; this was to accommodate the enormous class sizes, as well as its membership.

In addition to the appeal of staged degree work, there was also an incentive for the SGIGs of each state to increase the number of 32^nd degree Masons after 1905. In 1905, there was a resolution adopted at the Biennial Session of the Supreme Council to provide each SGIG with a $2.00 payment for every 32^nd degree Scottish Rite Mason who joined their Orient that year. Today’s equivalent of $2.00 in 1905 is just over $57 per person, a great incentive to increase membership in a state. To add a little more economic context for this amount of money in 1905, the average worker in the United earned $400, while most physicians were making between $4,000 and $5,000.

The growth of the Scottish Rite from 1905 to 1909 is astronomical when compared with the previous four years. From 1900 to 1904, fourteen Scottish Rite theaters were outfitted with scenery from either Sosman & Landis (Chicago) or Toomey & Volland (St. Louis). From 1905 to 1909, Sosman & Landis provided scenery for sixteen Scottish Rite Temples, whereas Toomey & Volland provided scenery for ten Scottish Rite Temples; twenty-six Scottish Rite Valleys purchased scenery between 1905 and 1909. These were only two studios of many theatrical providers for Scottish Rite scenery at the time.

Think of the financial benefit of collecting $2.00 per incoming 32^nd degree Mason, as there were two Reunions every year, each with candidate class. Using Kansas as an example with SGIG Thos. W. Harrison. There were seven Valleys in the Orient of Kansas, one of which was in Wichita. In 1908 the Scottish Rite Temple in Wichita was formally dedicated on June 8. Grand Commander James D. Richardson and several members from the Supreme Council were in attendance for the event. In the days following the dedication of the building, 529 Master Masons received the 4^th though 32^nd degrees. In one week, the SGIG would have made $1058.00. The equivalent purchasing power in 2018 is $29,008.08 (CPI Inflation Calculator). However, this gravy train only lasted until 1909 when those incoming funds would no longer going to go to individual SGIGs.

Why did Cunningham call for the repeal of the 1905 resolution in 1909?

The House of the Temple in Washington, D.C.

Well, here is what happened that same year. During the Supreme Council’s session in October 1909, a resolution was passed to enlarge or extend the existing House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., or to erect a new one. The new temple was designed by John Russell Pope and modeled after the tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus. In 1910, Grand Commander Richardson accepted the basic design for their new building. On May 31, 1911, the Grand Commander broke ground on the spot where the House of the Temple now stands at 1733 Sixteenth Street NW, in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. The cornerstone for the building was laid on October 18, 1911, and the building was dedicated four years later on October 18, 1915. The chairman for the dedication ceremony was Lieut. Grand Commander Charles E. Rosenbaum.

Article about the House of the Temple dedication ceremonies, from the “Evening Star,” (Washington, D.C.) 17 Oct 1915, page 14

Grand Commander George Fleming Moore, Lieutenant Grand Commander Charles E. Rosenbaum, and chairman of the music program and committee for the Temple dedication ceremonies, T. W. Hugo. Article from the “Evening Star,” (Washington, D.C.) 17 Oct 1915, page 14

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 488 – The King Solomon Story

As I started to explore the Ringling Brothers’ grand spectacle, “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba,” I could not help but think of the many stage settings for the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The designs include a variety of images from King Solomon’s Temple, the Sanctum Sanctorum, palatial apartments and the throne room. The story of the construction of King Solomon’s Temple was a subject dramatically acted in both Blue Lodge rooms and in Scottish Rite stages as part of their degree work. It was also a rich and popular subject for a variety of nineteenth-century entertainment venues.

The construction of the Temple and the assassination of its chief architect Hiram, remain a prominent topic in Masonic degree work, especially as a morality play. This story acted in lodge rooms was expanded upon and theatrically staged for Scottish Rite degree work. Never exclusive to the Fraternity, the reign of King Solomon was a popular subject for a variety of visual spectacles throughout the nineteenth century.

Poster for the Ringing Brothers’ 1914 Grand Spectacle “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”

1901 Masonic setting for King Solomon’s Throne Room at the Scottish Rite in McAlester, Oklahoma.

Detail of setting by Sosman & Landis produced for the Scottish Rite in Little Rock at the turn of the twentieth century.

In past posts, I have covered the subject of King Solomon on both public and private stages, including two 1840s touring show that featured “Chemical Paintings,” also known as “Magic Pictures.” These small painted backdrops transitioned from day to night as the composition was alternatively lit from both the front and back (see past installment #320). Newspapers from the time reported, “by modifying the light upon the picture, exhibits two entirely distinct representations upon the same canvas” (The Times-Picayune, 20 Dec. 1842, page 3). The Inauguration of Solomon’s Temple was one of four scenes that toured with the show. For a more thorough understanding of the 1842 exhibition, here is the description of “The Inauguration of Solomon’s Temple” as published in “The Times-Picayune:” “This painting represents the magnificent Temple of Solomon, son of David, which he caused to be erected in Jerusalem. Seen in the daytime, it exhibits to the spectacular the richness and elegance of its exterior architecture. The same Painting soon after passes through all the modifications of light: then night comes on, (effects obtained by the decomposition of light, a new process of painting invented by Daguerre,) the Temple appears illuminated interiorly by degrees, reflecting a bright light exteriorly, which discovers a great multitude of people flocking to adore the Ark of the Covenant, which the High Priest has deposited in the Tabernacle” (New Orleans, December 29, 1842, page 3).

1842 advertisement for the visual spectacle called “chemical paintings” of the “Inauguration of Solomon’s Temple”

King Solomon’s Temple scene at the Scottish Rite in Cheyenne, Wyoming

Detail of painted setting for the Scottish Rite in Cheyenne, Wyoming

Now to understand the popularity and appeal of the subject to Freemasons, I want to contrast these two events. The 1842 scenic effects, exhibited at the end of a darkened room suggested the possibilities for dramatic effects during degree work. As a Mason who attended the 1842 exhibit, I might leave full of ideas that could make the degree work in my small lodge room better. In contrast, the Ringling Brothers’ spectacle of “King Solomon” was produced at a scale that the Fraternity could never achieve. By 1914, dozens of Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite stages were using painted scenes that depicted King Solomon’s Temple, palatial quarters and the nearby landscape. They all paled in comparison with the grand spectacle at the circus, yet the same scenic artists were painting the sets for each venue.

Tomorrow, I will and taking the day off and will examine the Masonic history of the Ringlings on Wednesday.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 475 – Brown’s Special Counterweighted System

Part 475: Brown’s Special Counterweighted System

Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

M. C. Lilley’s western sales representative, Bestor G. Brown, subcontracted Sosman & Landis for the painted scenery, props, and stage machinery for their large Scottish Rite Theatre contracts. By 1912, many of the counterweight rigging systems installed in Scottish Rite theaters by Sosman & Landis were referred to as “Brown’s Special Counterweighted,” such as the one at the Santa Fe Scottish Rite.

Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1912.

So what do we know of the system referred to as “Brown’s Special Counterweighted” style of installation and how many are left? There are still examples of Brown’s Special Counterweighted System, however, some are slowly being removed and replaced with other rigging system. I first came across the designation in a series of letters between Bestor G. Brown, and the Austin Scottish Rite representative of Austin William G. Bell. Brown used the Dallas Scottish Rite as one example.

Wooden arbor cage with counterweights. Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Pasadena, California. This system was originally manufactured for the Scottish Rite Little Rock, Arkansas, during 1901.

Let me provide a little context for why the counterweight system came up in their discussion. Brown was trying to explain the intricacies of the installation process to a client who was completely unfamiliar with theatre. The Austin Scottish Rite was in the process of purchasing some of the Guthrie Scottish Rite’s old drops. Guthrie had been returned the old drops for credit on the purchase of new scenery when their stage was enlarged in the first building. M. C. Lilley had approximately 70 used Guthrie drops on hand to sell to another venue; they measured 15 feet high by 30 feet wide. A $1400.00 credit was given for the return of their 1901 scenery. The scenery collection was originally purchased for $8,000; today’s monetary equivalent is approximately $250,000, a significant purchase at the time.

Looking up into the flies. Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Pasadena, California.

On January 23, 1913, Brown also reported, “The [used] scenery is in very good shape – infinitely better that the average theatrical scenery used on the road. The writer personally went over the scenery at the studio last week. While our contract does not contemplate it, we are touching up some of the scenery and if it be properly lighted, you will have a handsome set of scenery that we would not undertake to paint and install for less than, at least, $8,000.00.”

View from under the fly rail. Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Pasadena, California.

The Austin Scottish Rite was initially interested in purchasing fourteen of the used drops, but wanted a definitive price for installation before determining the final number. Reading several letters of correspondence between Brown and Bell, it is obvious that Brown’s patience was wearing very thin as he had to repeatedly explain the final installation cost was based on the number of drops purchased. The continued correspondence, however, provides a wealth of information pertaining to the manufacture and installation of Scottish Rite scenery.

Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Austin, Texas, 1914.

As Brown negotiated, the Valley of Austin was purchasing and renovating the old 1821 Turner Hall. Brown mailed a scene plat to the Austin Scottish Rite. This was to reference while determining the final arrangement of scenes. Of this process, Brown wrote, “The arrangement of drops is one of the most difficult things.” Brown further explained that they would arrange the used scenery so that it could be “properly adapted to the different Degrees and the sequence of Degrees.” However, he warned that even after careful preparation, some modifications would still need to occur once the scenery was hanging. This was all an art of the haggling between the Austin Scottish Rite and M. C. Lilley. Bell, representing Austin wanted to pay as little as possible for the used scenery. The process was taking longer than expected and Brown was trying to get the Austin Scottish Rite to contractually commit so that the project could be scheduled. Finally, the Austin Scottish Rite committed to the purchase, but wanted an unrealistic timeframe. At this time, a much larger project was driving M. C. Lilley’s installation schedule – the Santa Fe Scottish Rite. Santa Fe’s new building, stage and scenery were delaying all other installations, such as the Austin Scottish Rite

Part of the initial delay was caused by the Austin Scottish Rite, not M. C. Lilley; this concerned the ongoing negotiation pertaining to the estimated expenses of the final installation. The Austin Scottish Rite wanted M. C. Lilley to provide a firm number for the installation cost without specifying the number of drops that they were purchasing from M. C. Lilley. Brown explained that the final expense was directly tied to the number of drops purchased to be installed. The carpenter’s expense of transportation and maintenance were figured from the time he left home until he returned. So, if he were to install only fourteen drops, that part of the expense would be proportionately greater than if he were to install twice that number of drops. Brown also explained that there was a difference in transportation charges directly relating to number of drops purchased and installed, either a full carload of scenery or less than a carload lot. Brown also explained that M. C. Lilley could also furnish the hardware, such as pulley blocks and counterweight frames if the Scottish Rite wanted the installation done locally; this was the salesman trying to be accommodating.

Brown’s Special Counterweighted System at the Scottish Rite in Salina, Texas.

There was another complication; Brown noted that they had only one specific carpenter who was sent to direct a Scottish Rite installation which was why multiple installations could not simultaneously occur; this individual was actually a Sosman & Landis employee as they installed their scenery. Brown commented that the one who would be “superintending the installation” for the Austin project was currently occupied in Santa Fe at the Scottish Rite, installing an entirely new stage there. This necessitated that their expert stay on site for approximately three weeks. Shortly after Brown’s correspondence with Bell, Brown wrote that their superintendent and installation expert had died from an accident, causing another delay. Brown explained that this employee was the “only one thoroughly familiar with the special method of installing Scottish Rite scenery.” Brown wrote, “We do not mean that it is impossible to follow the same methods as heretofore, but it will take a longer time to do it because of a lack of familiarity with the work.” Thomas G. Moses also mentions the death of their head stage carpenter, writing, “Mr. Brown, our foreman carpenter” died very suddenly.

As Brown later explained, M.C. Lilley used only one employee who specialized in Scottish Rite scenery installation. I believe that this individual was the stage carpenter who Thomas G. Moses referred to in his memoirs – Brown. In 1892, the “Carlisle Weekly” reported that a “Stage Carpenter Brown” worked for the Metropolitan Opera House at the time it burned (Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1 Sept. 1892, page 4). This may have been the same individual before he became associated with Sosman & Landis, as this is the same time when additional staff was added to Sosman & Landis’ studio for Columbian Exposition and other large projects.

Stage carpenter Brown was likely the individual who developed the counterweight system, and that the salesman Brown was mistaken for the namesake of the design. Newspapers would therefore erroneously refer to Bestor G. Brown as a “Masonic stage Carpenter.” In 1903 one article noted that Brown “created and developed the application of modern scenic properties to the dramatic presentation of all Masonic degrees and in this work is almost invariably consulted everywhere throughout the United States.” My findings suggest that “Brown’s Special Counterweighted” was credited to the salesman of the product and not the actual designer; this is understandable if they both shared the same last name.

In the end, the Austin Scottish Rite Bodies purchased 64 drops, not 14, on February 25, 1913, from M. C. Lilley. Thomas G. Moses would list the Austin scenery as one of the collections that he supervised while working at Sosman & Landis. The price for these used drops and their later installation was $1,650. The contract specified that a third of the amount was due upon installation (cash), a third due the following year, and the final third due in two years. Surprisingly, this financing was standard for Scottish Rite Theaters. Brown wrote, “In fact, if we had not been able to carry the Bodies in the Southern Jurisdiction as we have, we believe that fully one half of the development of the past ten years would not have been possible.” This is big as it presents how Scottish Rites were able to purchase state-of-the-art scenery, props, lighting and costumes – they were buying everything on credit and only had to pay a third upon receipt of goods. To pay off the rest meant increasing membership numbers that would generate even more income.

Brown died in 1917 at the Battle Creek Sanitorium after a relapse following an operation for kidney complications. At the time Brown was 56 years old and survived by his daughter, Mrs. Dana L. Davis of Topeka. It is sad to think, that a mere 14 years earlier he was a soaring star in both the Fraternity and fraternal supply business. Change can come so quickly.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 474 – Grand Master Brown in 1903

Part 474: Grand Master Brown in 1903

Thomas G. Moses thought very highly of Bestor G. Brown and his contribution to the development of Scottish Rite Degree Productions. He commented in his 1931 memoirs that Brown was one of the three key individuals responsible for its rapid spread throughout the Southern Jurisdiction.

Photograph of Bestor G. Brown, Grand Master of Kansas, from the “Topeka Daily Capital,” 14 February 1904, page 6.

For the past two days, I have explored the life of Bestor G. Brown, his Masonic activities, and the promotion of theatrically staged degree work. While reading numerous newspaper articles published about Brown between 1903 and 1904, I came across a wonderful article in the “Topeka Daily Capital,” on 14 February 1904, page 6. As very little information is available about Brown, I am including this article in its entirety as it provides a wonderful summary of his life up to 1904:

“Bestor G. Brown, the present grand master, is one of the most prominent men in the Masonic order. He was born November 22, 1861, at Bluffton, the county seat of Wells county, Indiana, “on the banks of the Wabash.” On his father’s side he is of Scotch ancestry. They were Quakers, and came to this country with the William Penn colony. At the time of settlement at Philadelphia the head of the then generation of the Brown family was a personal friend of William Penn, and the secretary of the colony. His maternal ancestry is German, the immigration thereof having been to Maryland in the early part of the eighteenth century.

Bestor G. Brown was educated in the public schools of Topeka, and later attended Washburn college. In 1878, at the age of 16, he was given a position on the Topeka Daily Commonwealth as reporter, subsequently having charge of the city, or local department of that paper. In 1879 he decided to accept his father’s offer of a college education, and entered the University of Michigan; here he remained until 1882, when through the influence of Andrew D. White, then president of Cornell University, and other personal friends in Ithica, he was transferred to Cornell University. In both universities he was prominent in athletics, and held many positions of honor in the student world. He was an active and prominent member of the Psi Upsilon college fraternity, one of the oldest of these organizations.

In 1882 his father died, and his return to college was prevented. For a time he had charge of a special department of dramatic and literary matters on the Topeka Capital; later accepted a position with the First National bank of Topeka, with which institution he remained for seven years, progressing from the lowest to the highest clerical position in the bank. He left the bank to engage in a financial business for himself, which proved highly profitable, but met the fate of all such enterprises, in the depression of 1892, resulting in the loss of a comfortable fortune. He then became associated with a large manufacturing concern in Chicago, as its western representative, in which capacity he is now employed.

He was very prominently connected with social, dramatic and literary affairs of Topeka; was married in 1885 to Emma J. Kellam, a beautiful, accomplished and extremely popular young lady in Topeka Society. Three years later death severed the union, leaving one child, a girl. Probably no man has ever lived more devoted to Masonry, and had it not been for his untiring efforts, his great intellectual and physical strength, used so generously for the benefit of the cause, Kansas would not hold its present high position in the Masonic world. He is spoken of today as one of the best ritualists in the United States, and his opinion is sought by the most distinguished Masons of the country.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 473 – Staging the Third Degree

Part 473: Staging the Third Degree

Yesterday I began exploring the increased sales of Masonic regalia and paraphernalia across the country at the beginning of the twentieth century. Part of the development of theatrically staged Masonic degrees was establishing a need for elaborate stages, complete with painted settings, props, costumes and lighting systems. As the western sales representative for M. C. Lilley and Co., Brown increased the visibility of the fraternal supply company by not only joining numerous Masonic orders and fraternal organizations, but also by ascending to high offices in each order.

A key period becomes 1903 to 1904. By this time, M. C. Lilley had secured the theater contracts for several Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite stages, including Little Rock, Arkansas; Oakland, California; Wichita, Kansas; Salina, Kansas; McAlester, Oklahoma; Guthrie, Oklahoma; Portland, Oregon; Duluth, Minnesota and Fort Scott, Kansas. I am sure that there are more, but these are the ones that I have positively identified.

In 1903, Bestor G. Brown became Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, placing him in a regional spotlight. He was provided with a unique opportunity to market his vision, especially pertaining to the staging of degree work. This included staging the first three degrees of Freemasonry (Blue Lodge). The Topeka Daily Capital reported, “Good Program is Arranged. Masons will have great meeting tomorrow” (14 February 1904, page 6). Masons from all over Kansas gathered in Topeka for “the forty-eight annual communication of the most worshipful grand lodge of the A.F. and A.M., the thirty-ninth annual convocation of the most exalted grand chapter of the Royal Arch Masons and the thirty-sixth annual assembly of the most illustrious grand council of the Royal and Select Masters.” What this means is that 600 to 700 of the top Masons in Kansas, as well as other visiting dignitaries, would be gathered both for both public and Private meetings; many would be exposed to the theatrical interpretation of degree work for the first time.

Envelope from Bestor G. Brown of M. C. Lilley & Co.

If one were to pitch a new idea, this is the time and place to promote it. Here is what Brown did, he promoted his company and staged the third degree of Masonry in full costume. The “Topeka Daily Capital” reported that the Grand Officers, together with a team selected from the local lodges, would stage the third degree of Masonry “in full costume” in the Representative Hall. This space was fitted up to function like the early stages in Masonic Halls. Masonic Halls were the precursor to a formal Scottish Rite stage. A rectangular room, similar to a banquet hall, was slightly altered to include an elevated stage on one end of the room; sometimes the stages were temporality constructed for a specific event. Some even included a proscenium arch, front curtain, and a few roll drops to establish the appropriate environment. In cases were roll drops were not rigged for the performance, wings, shutters, book flats, or profile pieces were temporarily positioned to provide the painted backings for early degree productions.

Interestingly, at the end of this event, the Scottish Rite Masons of Topeka hosted a banquet and musical program for all visiting Masons in the Masonic Hall. There is something to be said about the visual impact of a staged scene. During the same event, a special assembly was held in the Masonic Hall to confer the high degrees of Royal, Select, and Super-Excellent Master. The article reported, “This council has not only a state, but a national reputation, and will present the beautiful degrees of Cryptic Masonry with its complete equipment and paraphernalia.”

Winding staircase for the second degree.

Winding staircase for theatrically staging the second degree.

A profile piece for the staged version of the third degree. This depicts the slain assassins who murdered King Solomon’s the chief architect Hiram.

Detail of profile piece for the staged version of the third degree depicting the slain assassins who murdered King Solomon’s the chief architect Hiram

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: The Austin Scottish Rite, a theatre within a theatre

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: The Austin Scottish Rite, a theatre within a theatre

Rick Boychuk and I met at the Austin Airport on Friday, June 13, 2018, for the League of Historic American Theatres national conference that would begin on Sunday, July 15. By that evening, Boychuk was streaming live on Facebook from the flies of the Austin Scottish Rite theater. He was accompanied by FB friend and local IATSE stagehand, another history buff who occasionally works for the Austin Scottish Rite – Frank Cortez. Braving excessive heat, the two navigated three galleries above the stage, two of which date from 1871. Fortunately, I wore completely inappropriate footwear and had to stay on stage level, conversing with the director of the space and looking for hidden treasures.

Frank Cortez and Rick Boychuk at the Austin Scottish Rite theatre

The Austin Scottish Rite was originally constructed in 1871 and opened in 1872 as a Turner Hall for the German social organization Turn Verein (pronounced toorn –fair – ine). This group was similar to the SOKOL halls in America for the Czech-Slovaks; each organization provided a home for immigrants to socialize and celebrate old world traditions. The Turner Hall members congregated to study the German language, celebrate exercise and carry on a variety of revered German customs that included musical performances and theatrical productions.

The Scottish Rite in Austin has a very convoluted history that is intermingled with the Ben Hur Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; too complex to discuss at this time. What is significant about the Austin Scottish Rite theater is that in 1914 the Masons retrofitted the 1871 Turner Hall for their degrees productions. This was a common practice for Scottish Rite Masons throughout the late nineteenth century as the renovated cathedrals, synagogues, and even a previous pork slaughter house, included theatrical stages, auditoriums, dressing rooms, properties areas and other performance spaces to produce Masonic degree work. This historical practice of the Fraternity is covered in many of my past installments.

I previously visited the Austin Scottish Rite during the fall of 2016, after the photo shoot for the Santa Fe book. My desire to have Boychuk look at this particular venue was due to the artistic provenance and my understanding of used stage scenery in Masonic theaters. My research suggested that a portion of the Austin scenery collection, and possibly the accompanying stage machinery, was purchased used from Guthrie, Oklahoma, and installed in Austin during 1914 or 1915. However, early communications between a theatrical manufacturer and two Austin Scottish Rite Bodies commenced in 1912. So, lets look at some of the facts that surround the transformation of a German social space into a Masonic performance space.

In 1910, the Guthrie Scottish Rite bodies began enlarging their Scottish Rite stage in the original building. This is not the massive complex that is a popular travel destination today. The enlargement of an existing stage occurred in a variety of Southern Jurisdiction Valleys, including Little Rock, Arkansas; Wichita, Kansas; and McAlester, Oklahoma. The original 15’ x 30’ scenery for the Guthrie Scottish Rite was replaced with new scenery measuring 19’ x 36’ in 1911.

Although enlarging scenery was a commonplace practice for growing Scottish Rite Valleys, the regalia and paraphernalia supplier (M. C. Lilley) did not recommend an alteration of the original scenery due to the amount of fabric and labor needed to enlarge the entire collection. This was solely a sales tactic to sell new merchandise, as I own a Scottish Rite collection that was enlarged from 14’ x 28’ to 20’ x 40’; it was certainly possible to do without making it noticeable from the audience.

Going back to the Austin Scottish Rite story. The Guthrie Bodies acquired their 1900 Scottish Rite scenery collection for approximately $7,500. This same scenery was returned in 1910 to the same company that sold it to them – M. C. Lilley – for a $1,400 credit on their purchase of new scenery. Around this same time, negotiations with the Austin Scottish Rite began, even thought the final purchase of used Scottish Rite scenery would not occur for a few years. This is the same year that the Santa Fe Scottish Rite was being completed. Both projects were contracted by M. C. Lilley & Co. of Columbus, Ohio, and all scenery and stage machinery subcontracted to Sosman & Landis. This was a very solid partnership with the western sales representative for M. C. Lilley, Bestor G. Brown, and the president of Sosman & Landis, Joseph S. Sosman, being well-known Scottish Rite Masons.

Many of the technical specifications for the new Santa Fe Scottish Rite lighting system were recommended for the Austin Scottish Rite, carefully described in a series of letters exchanged between the Valley of Austin and M. C. Lilley. Tensions were high as the Valley of Austin did not understand the complexity or the skill required to produce and install a Scottish Rite scenery collection, complete with an entire counterweight rigging system. The negotiations for the used scenery and the communications with the architects could be a book in itself – or a fabulous doctoral dissertation.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: The Salina Scottish Rite Stage, on June 30

The Salina Scottish Rite Stage, on June 30

The Masonic Center with Scottish Rite stage in Salina, Kansas

I am aware of two instances where Masonic buildings with historic stages were not sold, but almost given away. In the case of Fort Scott, the building was “sold” for $1. I learned yesterday that the Salina Masonic Temple was “sold” for $10. In both cases, there was an attempt to preserve the structure and adapt it to a current use for organizations that were not part of the Fraternity.

Exterior of Scottish Rite Building in Fort Scott, Kansas, 2015.

The Scottish Rite stage in Fort Scott, before the scenery collection was transported out of state.

It is easy to feel sympathy for the generations of Masons who poured their hearts, souls and finances into a building and organization that would suddenly evaporate before their eyes. In Fort Scott, all of the contents were sold at an auction for a total of $75,000, liquidating their assets that included a mummy, 200 swords, porcelain dishes, and hundreds of vintage props and costumes. The Fort Scott Scottish Rite has not ceased to exist, but now meets in a small facility in Pittsburgh, Kansas.

What I have started to understand about many of the Scottish Rite buildings is that during times of plenty, the Scottish Rite did not reinvest in their homes, completing the necessary maintenance and repairs. Over time, deferred maintenance took its toll on both the physical structure and the membership. In addition to poor choices in regard to the basic upkeep of the buildings, membership declined and the constant stream of income began to diminish.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, a new group also rose to power – leading the vision for the future of their edifices – Temple building associations and foundations. In addition to declining membership and structural issues with their facilities, the financial wellbeing was also at risk. The funds necessary to address the deferred maintenance were embezzled. This happened in Salina last year when the treasurer of the Salina Building Foundation was accused of theft and embezzlement from the organization.

I first read about the crime in newspapers while researching Scottish rite theaters that were listed for sale. On May 2, 2017, one Mason commented on Chris Hodapp’s Freemasonry for Dummies blogspot (http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2017/05/salina-kansas-masonic-temple-treasurer.html): “Unfortunately, this is much more common that many masons believe. We tend to hide such crimes from public and fraternal view, yet rarely require proper safeguards. I have personally been involved in two similar cases (both of which involved larger amounts of thief).”

Over the past two years, I repeatedly encountered cases of large theft across the country that involved all extensions of Freemasonry – and these were the cases that were discovered and reported in local newspapers; this is likely a small percentage of what is actually happening. The above quote was a standard response by many men, whether in regard to a Grand Lodge, Scottish Rite, DeMolay, Shrine, Masonic Charities or other fraternal group.

As memberships lose the last remaining vestiges of financial security and physical homes, there is anger. The membership is frustrated and many begin to walk away, further depleting the membership ad discouraging those who stay.

The Santa Fe Scottish Rite was in a similar position when one individual rose to power, completely ignored the membership, and placed the building on the market. It took a dedicated group of men who worked tirelessly to get their building back. The common argument that is used by Masonic leadership is that their massive Masonic facility is “too expensive.” Often the need for a skilled marketing director is not employed – a must to bring in the necessary income to pay for all of the deferred maintenance. The future of the building is placed in the hands of a select few who often put their own interests ahead of the membership and the Fraternity. Valuable books and rare artifacts begin to disappear from Masonic libraries and collections before a building is sold. I refer to this as the vultures descending Police reports are not filed as it may portray the organization in a negative light. Members who try to come forward are bullied and threatened.

The Fraternity is at a crossroads and I have to wonder who will be the men who step up and save their heritage, as those dedicated men in Santa Fe.

To be continued…