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The Grand Master Berryman Jennings By Frank Knoll & Michael Robinson

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29 Berryman Jennings Story

Brethren,
As we come to the end of the Masonic year, I have a couple more stories to share with you before my time expires. This past Saturday, May 30, 2020, was the annual wreath laying ceremony at the grave of our first Grand Master Berryman Jennings in Portland. I started out intending to send you Brother Frank Knoll’s biography of Brother Jennings, written in 1949. His paper was excellent but severally lacking in details concerning his early years. Brother Knoll also noted that no information was found concerning his ancestry. I took the challenge and spent three days adding what I could. I had already traced Brother Jennings family back to the 1500’s and had found letters, newspapers and service records which filled in some of the other holes in his story. I added some large sections to his heritage and early years and then reverted to Brother Knoll’s work. Where I had additional details they were added in (parenthesis) or are noted in the footnotes. Brother Knoll’s article is nearly intact within the additions.
Enjoy my Brothers
Michael D. Robinson Grand Historian

Click here to read Berryman Jennings Story by Brother Frank Knoll, annotated by WBr. Michael Robinson.

If you’ve missed any of Br. Robinson’s articles you can check out the previous publications here: https://oregonscottishrite.wordpress.com/history-papers-articles/

Photo credit WBr. Dan Gray from the Wreath Ceremony at MWBr. Berryman Jennings gravesite, May 30th, 2020

20200530_105903The Brethren assembled
20200530_110023_aMost Worshipful Brother Ron Eggers, 33°, Grand Master of Masons in Oregon 2019-2020, performing the dedication ceremony. 

The Morgan Affair and Anti-Masonic Movement By ELBERT BEDE

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28 The Morgan AffairBrethren,

You will recall article #7, has a bio of Elbert Bede, here is his article about the Morgan Affair. Morgan, Taxil and their like, liars, cheats and conman, have their day, but when the spin stops history tells the story of who they really were, and from that they can not escape. When speaking of the vilification of the descent by the corrupt Bede points out “Again it was demonstrated that no party or movement can long endure when its controlling impulse is an intolerant attack upon the personal beliefs or social relationships of others. Bigotry, passion, hysteria, intolerance, hate may sway a people or a nation for a brief moment only.”

Michael D. Robinson Grand Historian

Click here to read The Morgan Affair

If you’ve missed any of Br. Robinson’s articles you can check out the previous publications here: https://oregonscottishrite.wordpress.com/history-papers-articles/

The Story of Br. William Grabach Portland Scenic Artist by Br. Michael Robinson

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27 William GrabachBrethren,
Those of you who are Scottish Rite may be interested in Brother Grabach, who helped paint many of the back drops at the Portland Scottish Rite 1905-1913.
Michael D. Robinson Grand Historian

Here’s a couple of the sets Br. Grabach designed for the Portland Valley’s Stage.
Kadosh 4th Degree 6-41Circa 1906

Sanctum_Santorum_Set_6_41
2019

Garden Chamber Full 24-55-72
Circa 1906

Garden_Chamber_Set_24_55_72
2019

W Grabach

Click here to read The Story of William Grabach

If you’ve missed any of Br. Robinson’s articles you can check out the previous publications here: https://oregonscottishrite.wordpress.com/history-papers-articles/

Topics & Speakers wanted for Orient of Oregon Virtual Leadership Workshop July 11th

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32nd_degree_sr_logoGreetings Brethren,
 
We are pleased to announce the 2020 Orient-wide Leadership Workshop will be held this July 11th via an online presentation format.

At this time we are calling for the submission of any requests for topics or volunteer presenters from the Leadership and Officers of the various Valleys in Oregon.

Some ideas so far for requested presentations are sharing best practices, policies, and procedures on topics such as; 

  • Membership: How does the Valley Membership Achievement Program (VMAP) or other programs work for increasing and retaining membership activity in your Valley?
  • Be a Freemason: Does your Valley have an outreach program with the local Blue Lodges to help them with getting good and qualified new members?
  • Leaders & Mentors: How does your Valley’s Leadership Pass the Tools and inspire the development of future Officers and Leaders?
  • Event coordination: What successful and fun events are held in your Valley and can they be improved?
  • Communication: What are effective methods of communication with your Membership?
  • Degree Conferrals: What does your Valley do around planning and conferring of the Scottish Rite Degrees?
  • Finances & Fiduciaries: How does your Valley prudently manage the Membership’s assets, gain income, rent out your facility, and balance an annual budget?
  • Investment in the Rite Future: What are the long term goals for the Valley’s property or assets and what plans are made to invest and preserve them for the next generations of Scottish Rite Masons over the next 10, 50, or 100 years?
  • History, Culture & Traditions: How does your Valley preserve and pass on its history, culture and local traditions to current and new members?

Presentations should be 15-20 minutes at most. If you have the ability to pre-record your presentation on video with PowerPoint slides or clearly visible visual aids that is ideal.

Also it is highly recommended to review and use the resources provided by the Supreme Council at https://scottishrite.org/members/2020-workshops/

Please contact Br. Nate at secretary@portlandsr.com to make arrangements to do a presentation for the Orient by your Valley.

Information on attending or viewing the online presentations will be provided at a later date. 

The Story of Walter T. Peet by Br. Michael Robinson

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23 Walter T Peet

Now I give you the inspired life and tragic death of Walter T. Peet, Past Master of Eugene Lodge #11 1890 and Corvallis Lodge #14 1894. This is a greatly expanded version of a History Report given at Eugene Lodge # 11 in 2017. Walter was one of the few missing pictures from our wall. After learning that he was Master at Corvallis, I took advantage of a trip, to confer a double Master Mason degree and deliver the lecture, to look for his picture. Unfortunately they didn’t have it either. A picture was subsequently found, as shown in this story.
Michael D. Robinson
Grand Historian

Click here to read The Story of Walter T Peet

If you’ve missed any of Br. Robinson’s articles you can check out the previous publications here: https://oregonscottishrite.wordpress.com/history-papers-articles/