Emessay Notes August 2008

Appeal for Relief - Iowa

When MSA first contacted the Grand Lodge of Iowa about the possibility of an appeal because of the severe flooding it was, at that time, impossible to even estimate the damage. There was still a great deal of flooding and in most cases people had not even been allowed to go back to their homes. Since that time, with the receding waters, the enormity of the damage done has been realized.

In a letter from Grand Master Mosier he said: “The towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford, along with other communities were nearly destroyed by the EF5 tornado that swept through on May 25. Many Iowa Masons were directly affected by this storm, suffering both personal injury and the destruction of their homes and property. Other tornados and high winds damaged Lodge property in Knoxville.

Only a few weeks later, widespread deluges of rain and record river levels created havoc in cities and towns across the state, flooding homes, closing businesses, and forcing general evacuation. One Lodge building was completely destroyed. Dozens of Iowa Masons have lost their homes. Dozens more have had their businesses destroyed.”

         Please forward to the MSA such funds as you feel appropriate to help our devastated Brethren and their families in this stricken jurisdiction. Please make checks payable to the MSA Disaster Relief Fund and send to 8120 Fenton Street, Ste. 203, Silver Spring, MD 20910-4785.

Thank you very much for your help!

Now Available!

Further Light: Helpful Information for New Master Masons
By: Jim Tresner

   A new MSA digest by Jim Tresner is now available. Fifty pages—discussing many important Masonic subjects such as: the ritual and its evolution; an explanation of the obligations and penalties; further explanation of the three degrees and much, much more.

   This digest is available at a cost of $5.00 each plus $3.00 s/h. Please order from Masonic Service Association, 8120 Fenton Street, Ste. 203, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or e-mail us at msana@ix.netcom.com

 

Freemasons Who Were Missouri Governors

          In an attempt to show the very prominent role Freemasons have played, over the years, in government leadership, MSA has been publishing a list of Governors who were Freemasons. This month we are featuring the State of Missouri and wish to thank Wilfred Soutiea, PGM (MO) for the following information

Masonic Governors and Years served

Alexander McNair	1821 – 1824	Meredith Miles Mamaduke	1844-1844
Frederick Bates	1824 – 1825	Austin Augustus King	1848-1853
Daniel Dunklin	1832 – 1836	Sterling Price	1853-1857
Thomas Reynolds	1840 – 1844	Robert Marcellus Stewart	1857-1861

At this juncture, Missouri was officially recognized as a Confederate state by the Confederate government and was represented in the Confederate Congress and by a star on the Confederate flag.  During the Civil War, however, Missouri was also claimed by the Union and had two competing state governments.  The list only shows those governors who were loyal to the Union.

Masonic Governors and Years served

Hamilton Rowan Gamble	1861 – 1864	Elliot Woolfolk Major	1913-1917
Thomas Clement Fletcher	1865 – 1869	Frederick D. Gardner	1917-1921
Silas Woodson	1873 – 1875	Arthur M. Hyde	1921-1925
Charles Henry Hardin	1875 – 1877	Samuel Aaron Baker	1925-1929
John Smith Phelps	1877 – 1881	Henry S. Caulfield	1929-1933
Thomas Theodore Crittenden	1881 – 1885	Guy Brasfield Park	1933-1937
John S. Marmaduke	1885 – 1887	Forrest C. Donnell	1941-1945
Albert P. Morehouse	1887 – 1889	Phil M. Donnelly	1945-1949
David R. Francis	1889 – 1893	Forrest Smith	1949-1953
William Joel Stone	1893 – 1897	Phil M. Donnelly	1953-1957
Lawrence Vest Stephens	1897 – 1901	James T. Blair, Jr.	1957-1961
Alexander Monroe Dockery	1901 – 1905	Warren E. Hearnes	1965-1973
Joseph W. Folk	1905 – 1909	Mel Carnahan	1993-2000
Herbert S. Hadley	1909 – 1913	Roger B. Wilson	2000-2001

 

(Note: Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan was killed in a plane crash in October, 2000. Lt. Governor and Brother Wilson assumed office after Carnahan's body had been formally identified.)

We have had numerous Freemasons serve as National Senators and Representatives including Senator and MWB Harry S Truman, Vice-President  who continued on to be the 33rd President of the US upon the death of President and Brother Franklin D. Roosevelt, formerly governor of New York.