My Masonic Journal

10 Famous Men You Didn't Know Were Freemasons - Part 1

Feb 08 2012 | 5 comments

Steve Wozniak


Best known as: Co-founder of Apple Computers

Initiated: 1980

Member of: Charity Lodge No. 362, Campbell, CA

Quotable Quote: "You have to think offensively and defensively and see where your opponent is going to go. Your mind has to be totally aware of the whole situation. That doesn't come the first time you play.”


The Ringling Bros




Best known as: Entertainers

Initiated, Passed, and Raised: All of them between 1890-1891

Member of: Baraboo Lodge No. 34, WI


Eddie Murphy




Best known as: A comedian

Initiated: Unknown

Member of: Hollywood Lodge No. 542, CA (see note below)

Quotable Quote: “In reality, all men are sculptors, constantly chipping away the unwanted parts of their lives trying to create a masterpiece.”

Note: Though Eddie Murphy is listed as a Freemason in numerous Masonic websites (including Wikipedia's list of Famous Freemasons). I couldn't find any record of the date when he was Initiated, Passed, and Raised. I also wonder if some people have just confused him with Freemason Audie Murphy (1924-1971) of Hollywood Lodge No. 542, CA. 


John Molson




Best known as: Founder of Molson Breweries

Initiated: Date unknown but he is known to have served as the Worshipful Master of St. Paul's Lodge from June to December 1791 and from June 1795 to June 1796. 

Member of: St. Paul's Lodge, No. 374


Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax




Best known as: The inventor of the Saxophone

Initiated: Unknown

Member of: Loge Les Vrais Amis de L'Union

Note:  His petition for initiation was found in the archives of the Lodge "Les Vrais Amis de l'Union" but no other record of his membership exists. 


Richard J. Gatling




Best known as: The inventor of the Gatling Gun

Initiated: Unknown

Member of: Center Lodge No. 23, Indianapolis, Ind


J. C. Penny




Best known as: Founder of JCPenney

Initiated: April 18, 1911, P. May 19, 1911, R. June 2, 1911

Lodge: Wasatch Lodge No. 1 F&AM Utah


Samuel Colt




Best know as: The inventor of the Revolver

Initiated: Unknown

Member of: St. John’s Lodge No. 4, Pythagoras Chapter No. 17, Washington Commandery No. 1, all of Hartford, CN


Frederick Louis Maytag




Best known as: Inventor of the automated washing machine

Initiated: I. April 23, P. May 14, R. Sept 13, 1887

Member of: Newton Lodge No. 59, Newton, Iowa


Louis Armstrong




Best known as: Jazz musician

Initiated: Unknown

Member of: Montgomery Lodge No. 18, Lodge of Montgomery No. 18, PHA, New York, NY (membership disputed. see notes below)

Note: According to historians, Louis Armstrong may have been a member of numerous "Masonic" groups but none of them are recognized by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. 






Is Freemasonry compatible with Christianity and other religions?

Dec 16 2011 | 0 comments

 


Your own path to Truth

Dec 12 2011 | 0 comments



A friend once described the danger, in masonic practice, of what he called ‘displacement activity’, that is, engaging in activities that divert us from the true aim. Concentrating on the appearance of masonic practice – rank, precedence, minor detail, hierarchy and structure – may cause us to lose sight of what real Freemasonry is, what Freemasonry can do, what it surely must do in each one of us, in order to be effective. Some will say that this is too serious, that it takes the fun out of Freemasonry, but I promise you, the rewards are immense, and they ensure that we will never again need any constructs in our lives. It can ensure that, in amongst the wood, we will begin to see real trees, and chart our progress by the way we interpret each one of them.

We should not be fooled. We should mind the gap, stop it becoming wider, try to bridge it, to give our Craft a greater sense of its true aim, and through that to find our own path to Truth. 

W. Bro. Julian Rees is a PM of Kirby Lodge No. 2818, London
Past Junior Grand Deacon, United Grand Lodge of England

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