Page 8 - Montana Freemason Magazine March 2014

BRIDGING THE GAP- The Shrine In Montana

Reid Gardiner (3), Grand Secretary

Sometimes it seems easier for us - any of us - to then the pre-requisite that a Shriner be a Mason is
operate on a principle that says, essentially, that the a throwback to tradition. Certain it is that Shriners
things that do not concern us (read: “me”), do not International and the Shriners Hospitals are
matter. Consequently, we may carry on without separate entities, filing with the IRS as their own
bneoetincinmgatrhkoersse tfhorinugss,wghivicinhgmuigshstigonthserowf icsoemhainvge ctoorcpoonratitniounes.oAns asucsehp, aifrathtee Ipmatphe,riaasl Siht rhinaes wstisahteeds
changes and new events. It then often happens that that it is not subordinate to Freemasonry’s Grand
we scratch our heads and ask ourselves, “What Lodges, it would be no different for Nobles to be
happened? How did we get here?” In looking back Masons than for men who belong to a Grange, or
donecitdheetsheatt,hfrinomgs,thwiselatperropvoidseitiocno,m“Omuenr thairnyd, siagnhdt othfeotEhlekrs,cMiviocoosreg, aKniiwzaatnioans,s,Rcohtoaroys,inogr taonyrenmuaminbienr
is 20/20;” however, the signs were there all along. the Shrine and Freemasonry both would be simply
belonging to two different organizations.
This article is written somewhere along the forTbhoisthis oarmgaonriezaptaiolantsabtlhea-nantod fsreieentdhleym-speolvseitsioans
ltoimokelbinaec,kbauntdbeevfaolrueattehasttatfeumtuernetsevaeftnetr athskesraucse tios antagonists. The standing of the Shriners in any
run. Our thoughts turn toward the Imperial Shrine, jurisdiction matters to the constituent lodges and
and the position it takes toward Masonic Grand Grand Lodges in theory because of the nature
Lodges and consequently Masons. In examining ojufritshperurdeelantcioen: asnhiapltebrentwateiveentothseeetiwngothine SMhraisnoenaics
iisnftohremhatoipoen) nboewin,gwceaumgahyt aovfof igdu(aordr,, aatnldeafsitn, dtihnagt an organization unrelated to Masonry save for its
ourselves forced to weed through a great mass of beginning among Masons is holding the Imperial
rhetoric to determine at which point this originated, Shrine to be “clandestine,” that is, as a body illegally
what are the salient facts in the matter, and leave it claiming Masonic authority.
to us to determine whether or not it matters.

Discussing issues within the fraternity is We see, in fact, that the Shrine maintains that
sometimes problematic - how do we do so without they are not beholden to Grand Lodges, or Masonry.
provoking our friends, without crossing over into We also know that the purpose of a Masonic Lodge
bdeivciosmiveingshboueltliinggeresnotm, ewtiimtheosutfofualnlidngnaptrieoynatlolythine iLsodtogemisakteo FhreelpemLaosdogness; mthaekepuFrrpeoemseasoofnsG. rTanhde
politics? In short, how do we talk about ourselves, Purpose of Lodges and Grand Lodge is not to make
with dignity, decorum, and fairness? I think that the Shriners. This is a fair statement. There is nothing
answer is, that we already know how, we just need intrinsically Masonic about the Shrine, other than
tuonmdearkceotnhseidcehroaitcieontohdeores?o. So, what, specifically, is satlal ttehsefomr ennowin. TthheatgdroouespnaortemMeaasnonthsa, totrheinShsorminee
is un-Masonic. We recognize the philanthropy of
The matter at hand is this: Do the Nobles as Nobles, and especially since the rise of the hospitals
members of their respective Shrine Temples programs close to 50 years after the creation of the
within the boundaries of Montana wish to organization.
sMaenvosewnrteartnsh,aeb?eccNoanuatnsueerctahtlileoyr,ne twhiisthwtihllehGavreanad vLaoridegtye ooff
are a variety of opinions, and What is clandestine Masonry? Here are two
we do not all share equally in them. The follow up instances to consider:
qtoumesetimonbemrsigohf tlobdeg:eWs whhyodhoaevsetahisstaqkueeisntitohne mGraattnedr
Lodge of A. F. & A. M. of Montana? • “cAlaibmoidnyg otof FbreeeFmreaesmonassoonrs,ouf nthitoinseg iimn paroLpoedrglye
without the consent of a Grand Lodge...”
One possible answer to the second question might -Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry
be, “Because Imperial Shrine has declared that it is
not either an ‘Appendant’ nor a ‘Concordant’ body • “oTnodwahyatthecoMnsatistounteics waorclldanidsesetnintierelbyoadgyr,eeodr
of Freemasonry.” If this is the case - and traditionally a clandestine Mason; the one is a Lodge or
Pitaghea8s been perceived as a part of Freemasonry - Grand Lodge unrecognized by other Grand