Valley of Portland

When you think of Thanksgiving, do you think immediately of Freemasonry?  Maybe not? Well, it turns out you should! Because two Freemasons—including U.S. President and Freemason George Washington—had a huge impact on the American version of the Thanksgiving holiday we celebrate today. In fact, President Washington and one of his Brothers in Freemasonry, Brother Elias Boudinot, worked together to create the holiday as a very special way to give thanks and express gratitude to our families, friends, and communities. 

Freemasonry Spurs a “Day of Thanks”

You may be thinking, “What about the Pilgrims and Native Americans? Didn’t the holiday start with them?” Yes, in a more informal way, it did. In 1621, settlers from The Mayflower, along with members of the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts, held a celebration to thank the Creator for the harvest and for the many blessings of life. Thereafter, for the next 160-plus years, the holiday was celebrated as an informal tradition among many Americans, but not as a formal national holiday.

That changed dramatically on September 25, 1789, when Freemason and Congressman Elias Boudinot of Burlington, New Jersey stood up in the U.S. House of Representatives with a legislative proposal. Brother Boudinot requested that the federal government create a committee to persuade President /Freemason George Washington to declare a national day of thanks and prayer. Historians say that, without Brother Boudinot’s powerful connection to Freemasonry and its values, he likely would not have been inclined to rally for this national day of thanks.

The Freemason President Delivers
the Proclamation

Later that same year, President George Washington delivered the Proclamation of 1789 that formally assigned November 26 as the National Holiday of Thanksgiving. Importantly, the proclamation also served as a symbolic gesture to our former monarchical rulers in Great Britain that the colonies were a self-governing, legitimate state. In his remarks regarding the holiday, President Washington stated: “Both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Masonic Values That Spurred a Holiday

When we look back on that important historical moment, we see clearly that our national American Thanksgiving holiday would not have been established without the values of Freemasonry and the critical work of two Masonic Brothers, Elias Boudinot and George Washington. This should further encourage us, as Freemasons, to reflect on and express gratitude for our fellow Brothers and for all the others in our lives who enrich us each day with such profound blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

You’ve probably heard it your entire life: “Man up,” people say. Or “Act like a man.” Statements like these reflect a “Guy Code” that society often imposes on men, reflecting unspoken rules you are supposed to follow. But how much do these “rules” reflect healthy masculinity—as opposed to the “toxic” kind? And how can Freemasons reflect more deeply on this issue?

How Men Learn About Masculinity   

Almost always, young males learn what a “real man” is from their family, other children, or schoolmates. Starting from early childhood, boys are often called out for behavior that doesn’t match society’s definition of manhood. They might be called “sissy” or “wimp” … or told they “throw like a girl.” And sometimes it gets even worse: They might be forced to deal with bullying or even assault. This forces boys, as they age, to face a choice: Go along with male stereotypes, or face the heat of “going against the grain.”

Stereotypes vs. What Men Actually Think

Research shows most men don’t personally agree with society’s “real man” stereotypes—especially if they tend to lead to “toxic male” behaviors that Freemasons and many other men recoil from. Some might go along with expected attitudes and behaviors because they are afraid of condemnation. But most Freemasons and other men are more attracted to—and want to embrace—a more healthy masculinity that supports a fuller range of human emotions and behaviors.

Key Ways to Live a “Healthy Masculinity”

Historically, society has put certain positive qualities in “the Masculine Box.” These include leadership, strength, and courage. But by putting those qualities in that box, society has not only implied that those qualities are not feminine, but also that qualities that are stereotypically feminine—such as nurturing, compassion, and caring—are not masculine. By having the strength and courage to rid ourselves of rigid rules about human qualities, Freemasons can achieve a healthy masculinity that affirms a broad range of positive human qualities.

What Healthy Masculinity “Looks Like”

When Freemasons embrace healthy masculinity for themselves and others, they can more positively affirm their true selves. They are not rejecting masculinity, but rather are moving into a better, healthier version of it.  One in which they:

• Address disrespect by having the courage to call it out;

• Allow themselves and other men to express a wide range of human emotions;

• Embrace mentoring, nurturing, compassion, and caring behavior toward themselves and others;

• Create openings for Freemason brothers and other men to share their experiences and feelings, especially if you sense there’s a problem;

• Check in with those you know or suspect are hurting;

• Have the courage to ask for help if you are struggling.

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Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

It’s a fascinating question: What is the connection of music and musicians to personal character and values? And why have there been so many great American musicians who were also great Freemason musicians? Let’s take a moment to shine the concert spotlight on this intriguing and rarely explored topic.

The Musician  / Mason Connection

Psychologists have long noted that musicians often have common personal values. These often include (1.) A “People First Approach,” which prioritizes the value of serving people over profits; (2.) Love of Truth and Freedom, which empowers musicians to express their true selves and embrace democracy; and (3.) Valuing Relationships and Community, which leads musicians to consider their relationships with others as essential and which leads them to favor friendly and mutually-supportive environments.

Great American Freemason Musicians       

When you consider the personal values mentioned above, you begin to see quite clearly why so many of America’s greatest and most beloved musicians have been Freemasons. Just like musicians generally, Freemasons ardently embrace Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth. So it’s no wonder that music and Freemasonry are core to the lives of artists such as …

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong
(1901 – 1971)

Louis was a member of Montgomery Lodge No.18 PHA in New York City. Known for his personal kindness and big, warm smile, he affirmed his Freemason values, in part, by founding and funding the Louis Armstrong Foundation. The foundation’s core mission is to support musicians, jazz education, performances, and programming. Like a true Mason, Louis said of his charitable work, “I want to give back some of the goodness I received.”

Brad Paisley
(Born 1972)

A member of Hiram Lodge No. 7 in Franklin, Tennessee, Brad, along with his actress-wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley, founded The Store, whose motto is “Uniting for a Hunger-Free Community.” Offering “traditional food aid and more,” The Store’s compassionate mission is to offer comprehensive solutions to hunger and poverty throughout Middle Tennessee.

Nat King Cole

(1919 – 1965)

Nat used his enormous popularity with black and white audiences alike by actively embracing the Masonic value of Brotherhood in the form of the Civil Rights movement. A member of his local NAACP branch, he was one of the noteworthy celebrities who participated in the 1963 March on Washington, at which Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Nat was a member of Thomas Waller Lodge No. 49 PHA in Los Angeles, California.

Tom DeLonge (Blink 182)
(Born 1975)

A member of Widow’s Sons Lodge No. 17 PHA in Kansas City, Missouri, Tom is a founding member of one of the world’s most famous “pop-punk” bands, Blink 182. Tom’s charitable work with his band has included donating generous percentages of concert-tour proceeds to cancer research and performing shows that helped raise funds for those impacted by natural disasters.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

If you’re like most American men, you probably remember that very important life lesson you learned from your dad. The lesson about Truth. Your dad likely said something like, “Be truthful, son. Don’t lie. A man’s word should be as good as his bond.” In this way, you learned that Truth is foundational to personal character, to deeply held personal values, to the degree to which you are seen as “an upstanding man,” as trustworthy and reliable. Let’s explore why Freemasons find this topic so critical.

A Core Masonic Value

The value of Truth—of being a truthful, trustworthy man—is so core to Freemasonry that it’s spotlighted right in our Mission Statement. The statement reads, in part, that our mission at The Valley of Portland and, more broadly, is “improve [our] members and enhance the communities in which they live by teaching and emulating the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth.”

This reveals that Truth is something more important—and more profound—than just “getting your facts straight” or arming yourself against disinformation (although those things have become increasingly important). It means that embracing Truth—and the quest for it—should be core to your own personal mission as a man and Mason.

Truth and Community

To strive every day to be a good and truthful man is so crucial that it’s one of the first lessons we are taught as Freemasons. In fact, unless you have a reputation for being truthful, you are not normally qualified to become a member of our order. That’s because—while truthfulness is essential in its own right—it’s also a fundamental requirement of good citizenship, both in our local communities and in our “American community” writ large. Without a commitment to truth, it becomes more and more difficult for citizens and their leaders to work together, to progress, to strive to build what Abraham Lincoln described as “a more perfect union.” Personal character and embracing Truth as your “North Star” are absolutely foundational to building trust, enhancing fellowship, nurturing personal relationships, and sustaining the American Dream for ourselves and future generations.

Your Personal “Truth Mission”

Freemasonry’s Motto is “Let There Be Light.” This “light” is another crucial aspect of Truth: the pursuit of knowledge. As Masons, we embrace a never-ending search for information because that mission brings us closer to gaining knowledge and using that knowledge to be more authentic—more truthful—men. And as we better ourselves in that way, we are more and more empowered to better our communities and the world at large.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

Some things just go together naturally. Take, for example, the state motto of Maine (“Dirigo”) and Freemasonry. “Dirigo” is a Latin word meaning “I lead.” And being an honorable leader—someone who steps up for your family and community—is a core part of being a Mason.

So how did Maine and Freemasonry first come together? Where were the first Masonic lodges in Maine, and who were some of the great early members of the brotherhood here? Let’s take a moment to explore this.

The Grand Lodge of Maine is Born

As you’ll remember from your history classes, Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820. In that year, as part of The Missouri Compromise, Maine entered the Union as the 23rd state. Shortly thereafter, “The Grand Lodge of Maine”—explicitly named that—was born. But the roots of Freemasonry in Maine actually predated that by decades. The first Lodge in Maine (then Massachusetts) was chartered in 1762 in Portland. Other Lodges were soon formed in Machias in 1778, in Wiscasset in 1792, in Castine in 1794, and in Hallowell in 1796. In fact, by the time “The Grand Lodge of Maine” was founded shortly after Maine statehood, there were 31 Lodges across the state. By 1870, there were 154 Lodges and more than 14,000 members.

Early Freemason Leaders in Maine

 During the 18th and early 19th centuries, there were many great Mainer Masons, but three are especially noteworthy. The first was William King (1768–1852), who was not only the first Governor of Maine but also its first Grand Master in 1820. Prior to serving as Governor, King had been a tireless advocate for Maine statehood.

The second great early Maine Mason of note is Simon Greenleaf (1783–1853), who became known as “The Father of Maine Masonry.” Thanks to Greenleaf, the Grand Lodge was founded. He served under William King as Deputy Grand Master and later Grand Master, while also helping to establish Harvard University’s School of Law, where he served as a distinguished professor for many years. The Grand Lodge of Maine’s second highest award for “Unusual Contribution to Masonry,” is named in Greenleaf’s honor.

Congressman, House Speaker, Grand Master

Finally, there is Maine Congressman and Maine Speaker of the House, Josiah Hayden Drummond (1827–1902), who served as the 21st Grand Master from 1860–1862. During his time as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence from 1865 to 1902, Drummond’s writing became known “most potent in shaping the policy of Masonry throughout the world.” Today, The Josiah Hayden Drummond Award—the highest Masonic award given by the Grand Lodge of Maine for “Outstanding Proficiency in the Knowledge of Freemasonry and Distinguished Service”—pays tribute to Drummond’s exemplary leadership in the brotherhood.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

From Scottie Pippen to Arnold Palmer to Ty Cobb, some of the world’s greatest athletes have been Masons. Let’s take a moment to look at some other great Mason athletes, and how the values of the Brotherhood were reflected in their personal character.

Shaquille O’Neal

A big man with a big heart, “Shaq” is not only an NBA legend but also a long-time patron and supporter of youth programs and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, providing charity uplift to the poor and disadvantaged in society. In the aftermath of the Great Recession’s housing crisis, Shaq helped homeowners by buying their mortgages and offering better terms. It was for these charitable efforts—as well as for his excellence in the NBA—that Brother O’Neal was made a Master Mason “at sight”—a rare and exclusive honor.

John Elway

An NFL Hall of Famer who won back-to-back Super Bowls (1998 and 1999), John Elway is proudly involved as a Brother of South Denver Lodge No. 93 in Denver, Colorado. John chose to retire from football when he was still at the top of his game, transitioning to life as an admired community leader and General Manager of the Denver Broncos. The passing of John’s father and sister in 2001 and 2002, respectively, had a major impact on his life, and he has since devoted even more time to “giving back” to his community through his service as a Mason.

Tim Horton

Now known for his chain of world-famous coffee and doughnut shops, Tim Horton was one of the greatest NHL defensemen of all-time, winning four Stanley Cups and being a First-Team All-Star three times. A member of Kroy Lodge No. 676 in Toronto, Tim was known for his strength and competitiveness on the ice, but also for his kindness and compassion off it. His Tim Hortons Foundation has raised millions of dollars for a wide range of charities serving youth and others in need.

Sugar Ray Robinson

It’s not every boxer who is hailed by Muhammad Ali as “the king, the master, my idol,” but that was Sugar Ray Robinson. A Brother of the Joppa Lodge #55 PHA in New York City, Sugar Ray was the world welterweight champion for five years—winning 91 fights in a row—then became world middleweight title. Known as a Brother of great kindness and compassion, Ray donated generously to charities, and established the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation to help underprivileged youth stay on a positive pathway throughout life.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

In December 1867, Edward Holland Caldwell (1844-1872) of Mobile, Alabama, received the fourteenth degree at the newly established Mobile Lodge of Perfection #1. The following year he received the eighteenth degree, and later, the thirty-second degree. Caldwell’s handsome jewels for the eighteenth and thirty-second degrees survive and are now part of the collection of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Crafted of silver and cut-glass stones, Caldwell’s jewels were formed in the shape of symbols associated with the eighteenth and thirty-second degrees. The eighteenth-degree jewel is in the shape of a compass topped with a crown. Within the compass is a cross highlighted with red stones and a pelican feeding seven chicks. Caldwell’s thirty-second degree jewel is in the shape of a crown on top of a cross, with arms of equal length and leaves or a wreath between the arms. At the center of the cross is the number 32 reverse-painted on glass in gold and black. On the back side of the jewel, at the center of the cross, two crossed swords are reverse-painted on glass in black and gold.

Before he took his Scottish Rite degrees, Caldwell likely became a Mason in Mobile Lodge #40, the largest Masonic lodge in Alabama, in the 1860s. He later joined Athelstan Lodge #369.

In 1868, when he took the eighteenth degree, he was the father of two young sons and involved in a local business. Caldwell and Emil Oscar Zadek (1848-1908) owned Zadek & Caldwell, Importers and Manufacturers of Fine Jewelry, opening it circa 1866. The firm advertised “handsome jewelry of every description. Also watches, silver ware, plated ware, opera glasses, etc.,” for customers in search of “an elegant article at reasonable prices.” Zadek was, according to the local newspaper, an accomplished craftsman who was not “surpassed in Mobile as a gold or silver smith.” Caldwell’s Scottish Rite jewels are not marked with the name of the manufacturer, so it is not known if his firm produced them in Mobile, or if Caldwell obtained them from another source.

Caldwell had grown up in New Orleans, the son of the remarkably successful actor, theater owner, and entrepreneur, James Henry Caldwell (1793-1863). As a young student, Edward Caldwell attended Spring Hill College in Mobile from 1856-1857. Only a few years after Caldwell joined with Zadek in the jewelry business, his business and circumstances changed dramatically when his older brother died. In 1870 Edward Caldwell inherited a large estate and his brother’s position as president of the Mobile Gas Light and Coke Company. The firm had been founded by the brothers’ father.

Caldwell’s time as the head of the Mobile Gas Light and Coke Company was short-lived. He died just two years later while visiting New York City. An obituary in a New Orleans newspaper lauded Caldwell as “noted among his friends for the geniality of his disposition and his boundless liberality.” The writer also described Caldwell’s philanthropy, observing that “no call for charity” made to him was unnoticed. All appeals to him, the writer continued, received “a cheerful response” from Caldwell.

As a sign of respect, when Edward Caldwell’s body arrived from New York, area Freemasons escorted it to the depot in New Orleans before it was put on a train to Mobile, where Caldwell was later buried. Caldwell’s two handsome Scottish Rite jewels serve as a reminder of his involvement in Freemasonry and speak to his pride in his association with the fraternity.

Want to see Edward Caldwell’s impressive Scottish Rite jewels for yourself? The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library in Lexington, Massachusetts is located just two hours from Portland, and welcomes school, adult, and community groups. Visit www.srmml.org for more details.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

 

By Hillary Anderson Stelling

Director of Collections and Exhibitions

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Lexington, Massachusetts

It’s a pretty impressive line-up. When we speak about Masons in Colonial America, we’re talking about some of the greatest Americans who ever lived. Men like George Washington … Benjamin Franklin … Thomas Jefferson … and Paul Revere. But how and why did Freemasonry come to North America in the first place?

A Scotsman in New Jersey

As it turns out, Freemasonry came to North America early in our history because it was such a “natural fit” for the type of thought that was powerfully circulating around the American settlers. Coming out of the Reformation in Europe, Freemasonry was the first widespread organization to espouse religious toleration and liberty—precious principles that we now think of as “American principles.” So in 1682, when Scotsman John Skene came to New Jersey, he was one of thousands of settlers who brought those values with him. And he soon became recognized as the first Freemason resident of America.

Rapid Spread Through the Colonies

After that—and with the passionate work of Skene and many others—Freemasonry began its steady ascent in America. In 1733, Henry Price, the Provincial Grand Master over all of North America for the Grand Lodge of England, granted a charter to a group of Boston Freemasons. This lodge was later named St. John’s Lodge and was the first duly constituted lodge in America. Then, between 1733 and 1737, the Grand Lodge in England warranted Provincial Grand Lodges in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. Thus, fully 40 years before the Revolutionary War, Freemasonry was firmly entrenching itself in America.

Unexpected Impact of Masonic Ideals

In that very young America, Masonic ideals powerfully took flight—sometimes in unexpected ways. In 1775—just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War and fully 85 years before the Civil War—a British garrison granted local freemen of color the right to affiliate as Masons under the banner of African Lodge No. 1, a.k.a. Prince Hall Masonry. The order’s founder, Prince Hall, a freed slave, became America’s first African-American named a Grand Master. And under his leadership, African Lodge No. 1 became the first Black-led abolitionist movement in American history.

Religious Tolerance and Freedom

When we look at the grand sweep of thought in early America, we see that our Founding Fathers were rejecting a European past in which one all-powerful authority controlled everything from religion to personal expression. So it’s not hard to see why Masonic values often were inextricable from American values. Consider, for example, one of the greatest symbols associated with Freemasonry: the Great Seal of the United States, which we see on the back of our one-dollar bills. And consider how much its Masonic motto was part of the dream of America: Annuit Coeptis Novus Ordo Seclorum, which means “God Smiles on Our New Order of the Ages.”

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

Outside of the Masonic brotherhood, there is great confusion—and often great misinformation—about what Freemasons believe about Jesus. So what do Masons actually believe? Who do Masons say Jesus was, and why is that important? Let’s take a moment to answer these important spiritual questions.

Was Jesus “Merely a Man”?

One of the very unfortunate pieces of misinformation that has circulated regarding Freemasons and Jesus is that Freemasons somehow wish to “put down” or deride Jesus by saying he was “merely a man.” This simply could not be further from the truth. As Freemason Henry Clausen noted in his Clausen’s Commentaries on Morals and Dogma, “We do not say to Christians that Christ was a mere man, whose life’s story is only a revival of similar older [pagan] stories. To do any of these things would be irreverent. We utter no such words.”

Instead, as the noted Masonic leader Jim Shaw wrote, Masonic doctrine maintains that, “Jesus was one of the ‘exemplars,’ one of the great men of the past.” The Masonic scholar Albert Pike put a finer point on it, asserting that Jesus was “a great teacher of morality.” In fact, Pike and other Masonic writers have noted the great overlap between spiritual principles taught by Jesus and those taught by Freemasonry. These include belief in a God who is the Supreme Being of the Universe, plus an embrace of love, charity, tolerance of others, and helping those who are less fortunate.      

Can Christians Be Masons?

Despite having ethics, morality, and brotherhood at its core, Freemasonry is not a religion. So if you happen to be a Christian—and also believe that other human beings are your brothers and sisters, no matter their religious beliefs—there is no reason why you cannot be a Mason. In fact, through history there have been millions of Christians who were Masons. These brothers have concluded that Freemasonry and Christianity are compatible because they have many values in common.

An Important Final Point

In the New Testament (James 2:14–17, NIV), it says: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

For millions of Christians around the world, this is a core aspect of their faith—a faith that calls them to actively and lovingly reach out and help those in need. And guess what? That’s a huge part of Freemasonry, too.

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.

Here’s how you become an American hero: You come from Midwest stock and are known all your life as quiet and reserved. At the age of just 25 in 1927, you become the first person to ever fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean—with virtually no navigation equipment—in a plane, The Spirit of St. Louis, described as “little more than a fuel tank with wings.” For your astonishing achievement, you are awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Medal of Honor, the highest U.S. military award. You are Charles Lindbergh, and you are so All-American that you eventually will be played by beloved actor Jimmy Stewart in the 1957 film about your amazing flight, The Spirit of St. Louis.

And a Masonic Award, Too

For all the accolades Charles Lindbergh received after his historic flight, none meant more to him than the Masonic Riddick Award. This was a medal awarded annually by the Grand Lodge of Missouri to the local Freemason who, during the preceding twelve months, had rendered the most conspicuous constructive service to his Country, State, or Community. Those who offered the award knew Lindbergh was a devoted 32nd-degree Freemason who had worn a Masonic square and compass pin on his famous flight and that The Spirit of St. Louis had been adorned with a Masonic emblem.   

Masonic Values Lindbergh Believed In

Freemasonry is not a religion, and our members come from many faiths. We believe in a Supreme Being who created the universe, but we do not engage in religious dogma or intolerance toward others. That spiritual stance fit Charles Lindbergh to a T. Though not a conventional Christian, he was fascinated by Jesus as a moral philosopher and spent an enormous amount of time reading and studying the Bible. During World War II, when Lindbergh was secretly deployed by the U.S. government to the South Pacific, space limitations permitted him to take only one book along. He chose the New Testament. If anyone had asked him, “Do you embrace the Masonic principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth?” his answer would have been an emphatic “Yes.”

The Best American Values, Too

As an American trailblazer who was also a Mason, Charles Lindbergh stood in a long line that included Davy Crockett, Lewis and Clark, and astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin. Like them, Lindbergh stood for qualities and values that were seen as “core American,” including independence, self-reliance, courage, and perseverance. At a time (1927) when the West was won and most folks thought of “the frontier” as being past, Lindbergh showed there was another kind of frontier to explore—one involving science and technology.

Like many other great men, Charles Lindbergh came to Freemasonry before coming to greatness. It’s fair to assume that a crucial part of what uplifted Lindbergh’s tiny plane—in the largest sense—was the spiritual and ethical values its pilot had learned as a Mason.     

Want to Learn More About the Valley of Portland?

Additional information about the Valley of Portland can be found on the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite website and on our membership page. Interested in learning more about local events? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date and informed about upcoming events.

New brothers interested in joining the Valley of Portland can do so by completing this online application.