TBL Staff

The now defunct Halcyon #498 in Cleveland, OH may be no more but there are still plenty of Brothers “at large”, who may not even be aware of what has transpired. The Worshipful Master, Brother Ken Miller, sent this notice to each and every brother still on the roster of Halcyon. We want to commend Brother Miller and his fellows on how professionally they appear to be handling this, we doubt the Grand Lodge of Ohio would have treated them the same.

--------------------- Letter Sent To All Members -----------------------

Halcyon Lodge
2831 Franklin Blvd.
Cleveland, Ohio 44113-2916
November 21, 2007

Dear Brother __________,

We write to inform you of recent events concerning Halcyon 498. Our lodge has been at odds with the Grand Lodge of Ohio for several months on a number of important issues. Chief among those have been the Grand Lodge of Ohio's attempt to control the content of our website, its unwarranted demand that we shut down our website, its attempt to dictate whom we may or may not associate with, and most recently their attempt to coerce the lodge to reverse a transaction that has been tremendously beneficial to the lodge, the West Side Masonic Temple, and to the community.

The transaction in question is the gift of financial assets and West Side Masonic Temple Company shares in December of last year to Halcyon Charities, an Ohio
non-profit corporation that was founded by several brothers working with community leaders.

There were very good business reasons for making the gift. Before this transaction, the Lodge was losing money every year as it was forced to bear all of the building expenses on its own. Furthermore, after years of neglect by previous management the building is sorely in need of expensive repairs. It became clear to the brethren that if Halcyon 498 were to continue acting as the sole source of revenue to support the building, the lodge would slowly bleed to death over the next few years. The end result would have been the end of the Temple and the death of Halcyon 498. The brethren determined that this was an unacceptable result. Thus, the Lodge unanimously voted that it would no longer fund the West Side Masonic Temple Company.

To insure the long term preservation of the building AND the long term viability of
Halcyon 498, the lodge voted unanimously to gift its securities, including its shares
in the WSMTC, to Halcyon Charities. Halcyon Charities is not a temple company, but is instead a fully functioning public charity as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Thus, it has the ability to pursue strategies to generate revenue through rentals and through charitable activities that will ultimately lead to tax-deductible donations. It can engage in fund raising to support its charitable programs, and to support building maintenance and operations. Further, its public charity status will position it to seek a local property tax exemption, which (if granted) will significantly improve the bottom line. It is clearly a superior business structure for the long-term viability of the temple.

Halcyon Charities has two goals: serving poor and underprivileged youth, and historic preservation of the building. Halcyon Charities seeks to establish athletic and arts programs to serve children in its neighborhood and the surrounding Cleveland area. It has already established a reputable youth boxing program that is housed in the building. Halcyon Charities is actively seeking strategic partners to establish a youth arts program utilizing the building's theatrical stages. The charity has already contributed significant value to building, including finishing the ballroom to return it to rentable condition, repairing the neglected air handling systems, repairing the roof, and building the boxing gym to house the boxing program. In short, it is doing what the brethren of the lodge hoped it would do when they voted to make the gift.

This transaction was also designed to insure the long term viability of the Lodge.
Without the burden of supporting all building expenses, the Lodge was suddenly solvent and its anticipated dues revenue exceeded its expenses. In just a few years,
the end result would have been a healthy lodge meeting in a safe and healthy building, and enjoying a much higher profile in the community in the process.

Unfortunately the Grand Lodge of Ohio lacks the vision and understanding to
appreciate what the brethren of Halcyon have done. At this year's annual meeting,
several DDGM's and high ranking officers of Grand Lodge made an unannounced visit to our Lodge. MWB Steven Krekus, in the presence of Grand Treasurer MWB Thomas H. Galyen, the current Junior Grand Warden, RWB Bradford Goebel, and all 5 current 22nd District Deputy Grand Masters, read a letter from the Grand Master demanding that Halcyon #498 reverse the transaction and put things back to the way they were — and giving the lodge only 48 hours to comply. The Grand Master stated that if the Lodge did not comply, he [would] remove the duly elected worshipful master and secretary of Halcyon Lodge #498 and assume control of the lodge. After reading the letter, brothers Krekus, Galyen and Goebel immediately left the building offering no opportunity for discussion.

It was both legally and practically impossible for the lodge to comply with this
order. Further, the Lodge determined that it was inappropriate to allow the Grand
Lodge officers to overrule valid elections and remove/replace officers without the
consent of the lodge. Given the 48 hour deadline, the lodge felt that it had to act
immediately to prevent this obvious injustice. Thus, the lodge unanimously voted
to surrender its charter, severing its relationship with Ohio Grand Lodge.

Those present at the meeting were concerned about what would happen to brothers who may want to remain Masons in good standing within the Ohio Grand Lodge system. DDGM Edgar Phelps confirmed that all brothers who had not surrendered their dues cards would remain in good standing and would be permitted to affiliate with another blue lodge. Thus, the good standing of the brethren of Halcyon Lodge #498 is unaffected by this move — your dues card is still valid and you are still a Master Mason in good standing with the Grand Lodge of Ohio. However, upon surrendering the Charter, Halcyon 498 ceased to exist.

It is regrettable that this all happened so quickly, but the unexpected and illegal
mandate by the Grand Lodge left Halcyon Lodge with little choice. We are mindful that many of you have already paid your dues for the coming year, and you will now have to affiliate with a new lodge and pay its dues, if you choose to remain a Mason within the Ohio Grand Lodge system. Thus, it is our intention to provide a full refund to all brothers who have paid their 2008 dues. At this point we will not cash any additional dues checks. If your check has not been cashed yet, you wil get your check back with your dues card. If your check has already been cashed, we will write you a refund check. We wil try to get to everyone, but if you do not receive a refund check within the next 4 weeks, please send us a letter at the address below to the attention of Mike Howard. Note that we have already paid the per diem to Grand Lodge of Ohio, so you are in good standing and should have no problems affiliating with another blue lodge.

Many former members of Halcyon 498 have turned in their dues card and formed a new lodge that is not affiliated with the Grand Lodge of Ohio. We are excited about the opportunity to continue to practice Masonry. To learn more about the new lodge, visit our website at ww.halcyontemple.org. Former members of Halcyon 498 are welcome to petition our new lodge, known as "Halcyon Lodge."

Ken Miller
Master of Halcyon Lodge
Former Master of Halcyon 498

George the 3rd

A rather biased assumption, I would say. Why would you assume that those Brethren have not been notified by The Grand Lodge as well? If, as is so often the case these days, The Grand Lodge, which is charged with only wanting to grow and keep "members" rather than preserve and perpetuate Freemasonry, would "logically" do everything in its power to notify and keep the other members in its "grip".

Critics of this situation can't have it both ways, including assuming that The Grand Lodge would both ignore the Brothers and try to keep them under their "control" at the same time.

How about finding out what the facts are before jumping to conclusions?

RickB

Ken Miller obviously either failed to read the Constitutions and Edicts of his Grand Lodge or felt that those same Rules and Regulations did not apply to him or his Lodge. That he was above many years of experience, much more than he has been alive.

It's sad that as much work as Halcyon has done to renovate their Lodge building, will by their actions end up losing it for good.

D. W. Brown

I doubt the Grand Lodge of Ohio wants to be seen trying to take a gift away from a valid 501.c3 charity. Oh wait, this is the Grand Lodge we are talking about, no they probably would be that stupid.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3° (apostatised my 32°)
TBL Staff

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society
Regulus Lodge | Sirius Lodge | Emeth Lodge | Euclid Lodge

George the 3rd

I guess the key word here is "valid", isn't it?

D. W. Brown

Well it's our understanding that the government issued the 501.c3 rating, don't think it can get more valid than that. The lodge brothers voted to gift it and nothing written in OH code that says they couldn't, so again, can't get more valid than that.

__________________
Dale Brown, 3° (apostatised my 32°)
TBL Staff

Grand Orient de France | Grand Orient of the United States of America
The Burning Taper | Halcyon Lodge | The Philalethes Society
Regulus Lodge | Sirius Lodge | Emeth Lodge | Euclid Lodge

George the 3rd

Well, an expenditure of that magnitude must be approved by Grand Lodge, and that is in the Code. It wasn't sent for approval and I doubt seriously it would have been approved anyway.

Secondly, if the only reason the "charity" was formed was to abscond with the property and assets of Halcyon Lodge #498, there may have been illegal actions despite the "charity" having been issued its status according to Ohio process and procedures.

Of course, I'm beginning to doubt if those who only wish to believe "Halcyon good, Grand Lodge bad" would be able to see the subtle difference.

witnessofjesus

I say that the Grand Lodge of Ohio should do everything in its power to reclaim this "hi-jacked" lodge, even if by legal means if necessary, dispose this renegade self-appointed 'worshipful master' and return Halcyon No. 498 back to the rightful owners thereof, the many brethren who were not there to vote for or against this drastic measure implemented by this rebellion of the few who were present.

Take them to court, and take possesion of the Temple they meet in, and then dispose them is what I would do if I were in charge, and were I a lawyer by profession, I would offer them my legal services free of charge. They've broken not only the laws of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, they've also broken the civil law of Ohio and as such, I would hold them accountable and kick them out of the building, reclaim all the donated property given over to this so-called Charity, and return the Lodge to the brethren who wish to remain faithful to the Grand Lodge of Ohio.

I find this Mr. Miller's letter to be very presumptous informing those who wish to remain with the Grand Lodge of Ohio that they have to go associate with another lodge, and that their lodge is disposed of, when it is not if one of those who wish to keep it going could step up and take the position of WM of No. 498 and assist their Grand Lodge in reclaiming their lodge from the opposition.

I pray for a peaceful resolution, but breaking the law is breaking the law, and should be punished. Were I a member of the original Halcyon No. 498, I would demand that our building be turned back over to us, and that this renegade lodge be evicted from the property and its use permenantly. Treason should be dealt with quickly and severly.

witnessofjesus

The brethren who have taken over Halycon 498 and have now formed their own lodge seem to have forgotten the Ancient Landmarks of our Order, namely, the following landmarks:

~ 4 ~
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRATERNITY, by a presiding officer called a Grand Master, who is elected from the body of the craft, is a fourth Landmark of the Order. Many persons ignorantly suppose that the election of the Grand Master is held in consequence of a law or regulation of the Grand Lodge. Such, however, is not the case. The office is indebted for its existence to a Landmark of the Order. Grand Masters are to be found in the records of the institution long before Grand Lodges were established; and if the present system of legislative government by Grand Lodges were to be abolished, a Grand Master would still be necessary. In fact, although there has been a period within the records of history, and indeed of very recent date, when a Grand Lodge was unknown, there never has been a time when the craft did not have their Grand Master.

~ 5 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO PRESIDE over every assembly of the craft, wheresoever and whensoever held, is a fifth Landmark. It is in consequence of this law, derived from ancient usage, and not from any special enactment, that the Grand Master assumes the chair, or as it is called in England, "the throne," at every communication of the Grand Lodge; and that he is also entitled to preside at the communication of every Subordinate Lodge, where he may happen to be present.

~ 6 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO GRANT DISPENSATIONS for conferring degrees at irregular times, is another and a very important Landmark. The statutory law of Masonry requires a month, or other determinate period, to elapse between the presentation of a petition and the election of a candidate. But the Grand Master has the power to set aside or dispense with this probation, and to allow a candidate to be initiated at once. This prerogative he possessed in common with all Masters, before the enactment of the law requiring a probation, and as no statute can impair his prerogative, he still retains the power, although the Masters of Lodges no longer possess it.

~ 7 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO GIVE DISPENSATIONS for opening and holding Lodges is another Landmark. He may grant, in virtue of this, to a sufficient number of Masons, the privilege of meeting together and conferring degrees. The Lodges thus established are called "Lodges under Dispensation." They are strictly creatures of the Grand Master, created by his authority, existing only during his will and pleasure, and liable at any moment to be dissolved at his command. They may be continued for a day, a month, or six months; but whatever be the period of their existence, they are indebted for that existence solely to the grace of the Grand Master.

~ 8 ~
THE PREROGATIVE OF THE GRAND MASTER TO MAKE MASONS AT SIGHT, is a Landmark which is closely connected with the preceding one. There has been much misapprehension in relation to this Landmark, which misapprehension has sometimes led to a denial of its existence in jurisdictions where the Grand Master was perhaps at the very time substantially exercising the prerogative, without the slightest remark or opposition. It is not to be supposed that the Grand Master can retire with a profane into a private room, and there, without assistance, confer the degrees of Freemasonry upon him. No such prerogative exists, and yet many believe that this is the so much talked of right of "making Masons at sight." The real mode and the only mode of exercising the prerogative is this : The Grand Master summons to his assistance not less than six other Masons, convenes a Lodge, and with out any previous probation, but on sight of the candidate, confers the degrees upon him, after which he dissolves the Lodge, and dismisses the brethren. Lodges thus convened for special purposes are called "occasional lodges." This is the only way in which any Grand Master within the records of the institution has ever been known to "make a Mason at sight." The prerogative is dependent upon that of granting dispensations to open and hold Lodges. If the Grand Master has the power of granting to any other Mason the privilege of presiding over Lodges working by his dispensation, he may assume this privilege of presiding to himself; and as no one can deny his right to revoke his dispensation granted to a number of brethren at a distance, and to dissolve the Lodge at his pleasure, it will scarcely be contended that he may not revoke his dispensation for a Lodge over which he himself has been presiding, within a day, and dissolve the Lodge as soon as the business for which he had assembled it is accomplished. The making of Masons at sight is only the conferring of the degrees by the Grand Master, at once, in an occasional Lodge, constituted by his dispensing power for the purpose, and over which he presides in person.


~ 25 ~
The last and crowning Landmark of all is, that THESE LANDMARKS CAN NEVER BE CHANGED. Nothing can be subtracted from them-nothing can be added to them-not the slightest modification can be made in them. As they were received from our predecessors, we are bound by the most solemn obligations of duty to transmit them to our successors. Not one jot or one tittle of these unwritten laws can be repealed; for in respect to them, we are not only willing, but compelled to adopt the language of the sturdy old barons of England-"Nolumus leges mutari."

Forget not the Ancient Landmarks, and you cannot go wrong. Forget them, and you'll find yourself in the position that this new lodge called Halycon now finds itself.

My prayers go out to all involved, and more especially to the renegade brethren as I would hope to aid in a reformation, and a return of them to the leadership of the Grand Lodge of Ohio.

SGTRDIDDY

After reading this I started think would the new lodge that has been created would now be clandestine?