As we are all aware, and as is pointed out in the North East Angle Lecture in the Canadian Rite/Ritual, it cannot be denied that we always had many members of rank and affluence. Over the centuries many well-known men have been members of our Noble Craft. For a few moments, please allow your imaginations to run wild and consider what may take place at the Installation of the Celestial Lodge, otherwise known as the Grand Lodge Above.
Even though it was late fall, there was a warm breeze blowing and the sun was setting behind the Lodge Hall. Gathered in the parking lot filled with their works were Brothers Henry Ford, Ransom Olds, Walter Chrysler, John Willys and Andre Citroen. The only vehicle missing was Brother Hart Massey's tractor.
Greeting members in the entrance hall was Brother Cliff Arquette of Charley Weaver fame and Brother Ed Wynn. In the boardroom, a group of senior DeMolays were gathered including Brothers Walter Disney, Chet Huntley, Wendell Corey, Van Johnson, Robert Cummings, John Steinbeck, Fred McMurray and John Cameron Swayze. King Gillette, razor in hand, passed the lodge caretaker who was having a minor problem with his vacuum cleaner, which was quickly cleared up with
the help of its inventor, Brother Frank Hoover, while at the other end of the hallway Brothers Emmett Kelly, Clyde Beatty and all seven of the Ringling Brothers were discussing the Shrine Circus.
Taking a quick look into the Banquet Hall, Brothers John Molson, Frederick Pabst and Joseph Schlitz were busy rolling in some kegs of beer for Brothers Sam Bronfman, late President of Seagrams Distillers, who was setting up the bar for the Festive Board to follow the ceremony. Brother Colonel Harland Sanders was cooking up a storm in the kitchen and it was an easy guess as to what the evening meal would consist of. The orchestra members for the dance to follow
the banquet were tuning. Members of this all-star group includes leader Paul Whitman, WC Hardy, Nat King Cole, Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, Cyril Stapleton, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Al Jolson. Tonight's performance would be emceed by Brothers Arthur Godfrey and Danny Thomas. Magical Brothers Harry Houdini and Harry Blackstone were setting up their props while Brothers W.C. Fields, Oliver Hardy, Bud Abbott, Harp Marx and Foster Brooks were fine tuning their comedy routines
for tonight's show which was being produced by Brothers Cecil B. DeMille, Flo Siegel, Louis B. Mayer, Hall Wallis and D.W. Griffith.
A number of sports celebrities were gathering together including Brothers Abe Saperstein, creator of the Harlem Globetrotters who was explaining his version of the game to Brother James Naesmith, the inventor of the game. They were joined by baseballers Brothers Charles Ebbetts, Ty Cobb, Branch Rickey and Cy Young, the first pitcher to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. A little further along the hall was an array of Masons dressed in knee breeches,
lace cuffs and powdered wigs: others in tuxedos, including Brothers Kit Carson, Davy Crockett and Buffalo Bill Cody, clad in their familiar buckskins, Chief Crazy Bull, Tecumseh and Joseph Brant in their native attire. Most colorful are the military uniforms of Lord Nelson, Lord Cornwallis, Captain James Cook, the Duke of Wellington and John Paul Jones.
I was gazing in awe at these members of the Celestial Lodge, when the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Harry Truman appeared from the preparation room accompanied by Brothers John Jacob Astor, Luther Burbank, J.C. Penney, Adlai Stevenson and Jennings Bryan.
Brother John Diefenbaker had just signed the Tyler's Register with one of Brother John Schaeffer's pens. He was accompanied by Brothers Robert Borden and R.D. Bennett, fellow Canadian Prime Ministers, and by Brother Joe Smallwood. At this time the Tyler, Brother J. Edgar Hoover, informed the Brethren that the meeting was about to come to order.
On entering the lodge room, the brethren were greeted by the Inner Guard, Brother Paul Revere. Seated already were Polar explorers Robert F. Scott of England and Brother Richard E. Bird of the United States, together with Matthew G. Perky and Canada's Henry Larsen. Brother Charles Lindbergh could be seen in deep conversation with Brothers Hap Arnold, Gus Grissom, Eddie Rickenbaker and Charles Kingsford-Smiths.
From the Junior Warden's station came a burst of laughter. Brother Will Rogers had brought broad smiles to the faces of the royal personages gathers around him, including George I, Frederick the Great, Gustav V of Sweden and George VI. To the right of the Junior Warden's chair, architect Sir Christopher Wren, Brothers Norman Vincent Peale and Peter Marshall, who would assume the Chaplain's duties this evening, were in conversation with the DuPonts, Peter and
Victor, and the Rothschilds, James and Nathan.
Gathered around the Secretary's desk, Brother Rudyard Kipling was discussing the evening's proceedings with Brother Robert Burns, who was to give one of the charges, assisted by Brother Mark Twain. Also taking part were Brothers Conan Doyle, Walter Scott, Samuel Johnson, Alexander Pope and Robert Service.
The Grand Organist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was discussing last minute changes with Brothers Gilbert and Sullivan. Brothers Clark Gable, Peter Sellers, Wallace Beery, Douglas Fairbanks and Brian Donleavy were discussing boxing with champions Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson and Sugar Ray Robinson. Another small group, in the persons of Brothers John Wayne, Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix, were listening to Brother William Thaddeus Phillips, also known as Butch Cassidy.
The founding members, Brothers George Washington, Sir John A. MacDonald, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Benito Juarez, John Hancock and Ben Franklin were seated in the East. They have been joined by Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore.
The Generals, Omar Bradley, Jimmy Doolittle, George C. Marshall, John Pershing and Douglas McArthur, take their seats next to Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.
The Lodge Treasurer Brother Henry Knox, was busy collecting dues from Brothers Thomas E. Dewey and William McKinley.
The Master, Most Worshipful Brother HRH the Duke of Connaught, has rapped the gavel to call the Lodge to order and it is now time for us to depart. With one last look at this brilliant assembly, one wonders what the public's perception of Freemasonry might be if they were able to visit such a lodge.
Author unknown Reprinted from the Ann Arbor Masonic News
Fraternally,
Norm Furman, Secretary
e-mail: burbanklodge406@att.net
