Happy Independence Day!
A day to celebrate, and remember
I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July!
A day in which we celebrate the greatest break up letter of all time. A letter signed by nine confirmed Freemasons, perhaps more.
Of course those same Freemasons, joined by others, went on to found this great country, and to do so based on values that Masons hold dear.
And we have been extremely fortunate that the leaders of two countries, for generations and generations have maintained a close and special relationship between the mother and daughter nations. After the violence of our breakup, and an unfortunate early episode or two, an alliance was formed that has stood the test of time.
Of course we had to break up, for tyranny and misrule is something an educated people can only tolerate for so long. But, we did the right thing. We didn’t just ghost our partner across the ocean, we faced the issue like men and wrote a break up letter.
I think we all, Americans and not, do well to read it again once in awhile, and Independence Day is a perfect day to do just that. To remind ourselves what the United States should stand for, the proper role of governments, and how the people need to remain in ultimate control.
If you are looking to read it, you can find a good transcription here:
Given the brevity of this post, and the holiday, I decided that this would be a good opportunity to take care of some housekeeping things here on Emeth.
First up, Rummer & Grapes
The next two Rummer & Grapes topics are selected. At our next gathering over Zoom we will hear a presentation about the Kirkwall Scrolls from W Brother Thomas Lamb. The following week we’ll talk about Lodge fundraising and share some ideas that work.
As a reminder, Rummer & Grapes takes place almost every single Sunday evening at 7:30 Pacific time.
Secondly, Reading Emeth
I don’t get stats about how subscribers read Emeth. It goes out via email, so I assume that most people read it there. But it also goes out via the Substack app, and is published on the website. The app can be found at the link below if anyone is interested and might find it easier to use.
Third, and lastly, lest I bore you to death, Chat and Notes
You’ll find links to both of these things on the Emeth website, right up at the top. It took me quite a bit of time to figure out what I might be able to offer of value in these two spaces.
I think I’ve got Chat figured out well. I’ve been using it to curate good and interesting writing that I come across. Not limited to Masonic writings, but things of general interest that I think most Freemasons would enjoy reading. Check it out, I think you’ll find good things there. It is also an interactive space so hit me back with a comment if you feel inclined.
Chat is also, I think, a great place to post about upcoming meetings and Lodge events. Anyone with a paid subscription to Emeth can do so.
Notes is a bit different than Chat, more like Twitter I suppose. To be honest, I’m not sure how I should be using it yet. I’ll keep experimenting until I figure out how to bring value to you there. Notes is open for anyone to post in, if you make a post in Notes, it will be visible to all of Emeth’s subscribers who use that feature.
Again, Happy Independence Day, and as always, Thank You for your support of Emeth!
As the holiday winds down, we’ll get back to our regular Masonic programing!
MW, you have rich content on Emeth. I can't speak for anyone else, but I find it thought provoking to the extent that I often think about it for days at a time. Most craft-related sights are one-way platforms where the producer/creator writes about things current and past. On Emeth, it's asymmetrical. It's not just you, but all of us. One collective mind sharing thoughts about Masonry that we cannot find anything else. You have brought Enlightenment principles to this forum that I greatly appreciate.
It has always been that last sentence that always hit me the hardest. "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." And they meant every word of it. The hard thing to grasp is that all were men of substance, not a bunch of troublemakers with nothing to loose. Business men and merchants, doctors, lawyers, judges, land owners and farmers. They had everything to loose by signing the documents, and most of them lost big. Just signing it was treason, and the penalty for that was hanging.
Of the 56 signers, nine died of wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured and imprisoned, which would have meant torture. Several lost wives, sons or entire families. One lost his 13 children. Two wives were brutally treated. All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Twelve signers had their homes completely burned. Seventeen lost everything they owned.
And yet they persevered. And here we are. I know I fall far short of that level of a man. I find their lives humbling and inspiring at the same time. And I keep working.
Happy Independence Day, my Brothers!