I think that Albert Pike is an indispensable figure of entire freemasonry without whom we can’t explain our modern organization. I was in my homeland country in the moment when the statue was removed, I was very saddened not to see it the day I visited Washington, D.C., although I know there is a bust of him at the House of the Temple, but it's not the same. I admire his Masonic figure to such an extent that I own an original photograph of him, which is probably my most valuable Masonic possession besides my masonic books.
Interesting information considering that in HoTT there is the Albert Pike Museum, quote, "is a dedicated memorial to Albert Pike, who was Grand Commander of this Supreme Council from 1859 until his death in 1891." Maybe they moved it temporarily, but considering the above, it seems strange to me.
I tend to agree. Certainly I have spent more time reading his words on Freemasonry than I have any other writer, past or present. His insights into our Craft, and its highest role in our society are truly profound.
Your photograph of him is quite a treasure! I'm not aware of anything quite so valuable of him in my Jurisdiction. I believe the coolest thing we have of him here in Washington is his signature in a Tylers Register from when he visited one of our Craft Lodges. That Lodge remains active and vital today, despite the fact that the town in which it is based is largely a ghost town now.
The NPR article was absolutely infuriating. Anything they can even attempt to try and tie him to they do. But they never mention that he was the best friend of Native Americans… Possibly their only friend in the judicial system.
At the end of the day it is a monument to his work in and on behalf of Freemasonry, not his military acumen, not the CSA or anything else.
While we are talking about statues, as much as I LOVE Johnnie Cash I was very upset that they took Uriah Rose out of Statuary Hall because he was a sympathizer. He was an amazing man and did great things for the legal system of this country.
I didn't read the NPR article as I assumed that it would be filled with nonsense. Heck, I even thought the FOX article was misleading. Alas, unfortunately, sensationalism sells, and always has.
My own State's statues in Statuary Hall are also slated to be removed and replaced with others. The whole thing just seems goofy to me.
When I first became interested in freemasonry it was Pike’s “Morals and Dogma” that drew me in, and so much so that I dedicated three years of weekends of my time, while also fighting cancer, to write a weekly study and opinion of “Morals and Dogma”.
Through that study and also reading of Pike’s post-war life that was dedicated to justice and using his law degree to represent the underserved against oppression from government over reach, I became astutely aware that his life, or any of our lives, should never be judged on one chapter.
I am hardly an apologist for his misdeeds, but it is a fact that Pike did serve time in jail and paid his dues for his confederacy participation.
Post-war Pike did a lot of good and changed a lot of lives.
Without “Morals and Dogma” and the self reflection those writings caused me to, I can state with clear conscience that I am one whose life was changed for the positive because Albert Pike lived.
I’m glad for the return of his statue to its proper place.
Morals and Dogma was either the first or the second book I read as an Entered Apprentice, and I still enjoy reading it today, all these years later. I'm really pleased that the SRSJ has continued publishing his work, and indeed bringing out more (Esoterika) and better versions (Annotated M&D.) There are a great many wonderful Masonic writers, but in my view Pike stands head and shoulders above the rest.
And I must agree with your point. We can not, and should not, judge an entire life by a single chapter of that life.
One of many reasons I love the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction is the leadership has never turned their backs on Pike.
When Pike’s statue was toppled, de Hoyas was front and center live on local news trying to explain to the masses that their anger at Pike was misplaced, and this was the night the toppling happened.
I’m proudly a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society because, as you wrote in your comment, there are so many great Masonic writers and great Masonic books and the SRRS showcases their works.
I gladly pay my 60 dollars a year for that membership because it is so enriching.
For me, Pike is invaluable to the craft as a whole inspiring the likes of Manly P. Hall, certainly Arturo de Hoyas who has done a masterful job reintroducing so many of us to the old volumes, his work on M and D annotated version is de Hoyas’ master work and has meant so much to me.
Some years I am sad to see volumes of HEREDOM (the yearly publication of SRRS) thinner than other years as new Masonic writers are hard to find.
I hope this changes and maybe this new-ish interest in Pike can be a catalyst to inspire more to embrace the esoteric side of Masonry and confess their love for it in copious written works
(Thanks for allowing this ramble in your thread 😀)
I'm with you, 100% when it comes to the Scottish Rite Research Society! I've been a member for a great many years now, and am completely convinced that it is the best value in all of Masonry!
I do try to convince others to join, and I wish that more would.
This is Trump and co. punishing all the young woke assholes for "cancelling" all the historical figures they vindicate (for the wrong reasons).
Our government here in Canada, in contrast, is still sucking up to them by not returning our first Prime Minister and Queen Victoria to their rightful places after they were also horrifically vandalized...
But as a published historian, I agree with you that no one in history is entirely good or bad- it is time itself and the changes it brings that makes heroes out of villains and vice versa.
The Pike statues restoration is certainly the work of President Trump, but I think the movement to restore these statues torn down in the riots is much broader than him. The statues being restored in Portland, Oregon are being put back into place by the City of Portland, the leadership of which is as far from Trumpism as possible.
>>>no one in history is entirely good or bad- it is time itself and the changes it brings that >>>makes heroes out of villains and vice versa.
Agreed, 100%. I think that all of us would be horrified to think that we would be judged only by the worst thing we did in our life, and that everything good we did would be disregarded. If we don't want that to happen to our memory, we shouldn't be doing it to the memory of others.
I'm sorry to know that a statue of Queen Victoria was vandalized at that time. I have really fond memories of traveling up to Victoria B.C. on the Princess Margaret as a child. The first thing I'd see when we would step off the boat each time would be the statue of the Queen in front of the BC Parliament, and the first thing I'd hear would be the bagpipes.
I don’t support vandalism of monuments. I also believe not all history or historical figures should be memorialized on the public square.
I believe it’s legitimate to use lawful process to move monuments representing questionable values to museums and other more appropriate venues where the history can be preserved without endorsing.
Pike is portrayed for substantial contributions to Freemasonry and society. Unfortunately, his CSA connection blocks many from seeing those contributions. I believe his story would be better told in a museum or other curated setting.
Well said! And I would add that timing and context should be considered when memorializing a figure in a public setting. It should be noted that many of the Confederate monuments were placed in (the southern states of) America during the 1920's, several generations after the Civil War, and during the Jim Crow Era with support of the Klan. One can argue whether these monuments were intended to promote and perpetuate the CSA and its cause, but it cannot be argued IMHO that these monuments served as a stick in the eye of many. You can imagine the feelings if a statue of King George III was erected in Boston Harbor, or a monument to George Armstrong Custer was erected on the Crow or Pine Ridge Reservations,
Like MW Cameron, I believe Pike was a great Freemason, but flawed as we all are. And I believe all history should be read in context. We don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. I certainly agree with Brother Dean that Sovereign Grand Commander Pike's story would be better told in a museum or other curated setting, and I would exhort all Masons to learn of his complete story - warts and all. I believe his stature will stand up to any scrutiny.
In the former Confederate States, County Courthouses built after the reconstruction period in the late 19th & early 20th Century were symbolically built facing South. Any true Southerner will be happy to explain why. ;-)
The victors in war don’t always write the history. The “Lost Cause” narrative is still strong in the Southern culture. My personal belief is the Confederate monuments were erected in the South in the early 20th Century to remind everyone who was actually in charge in the South.
In Pike’s case, I believe it’s important that his CSA generalship, rumors of questionable affiliations and some the provocative racial comments attributed to him not be the whole or the most part of his story. Unfortunately, it’s easy for the intellectually lazy to lump Pike with CSA VP Alexander H. Stephens or CSA Gen. and KKK leader Nathan Bedford Forrest.
I’d prefer to see Pike’s statue inside and well curated.
>>>I would exhort all Masons to learn of his complete story - warts and all. I believe his >>>stature will stand up to any scrutiny.
I stand in complete agreement with this. There is little sadder than listening to a Freemason spout nonsense about Brother Pike. Attributing faults to him that he did not commit, or downplaying those faults that he did possess. He was, like all of us, a complicated man. But I also agree, his essential good will hold up to honest scrutiny.
I don't disagree. The world changes, and monuments need to change with it. In ordinary and lawful ways. I would not object to the monument being moved into a museum, particularly into a Scottish Rite controlled space.
MWB Cameron, I think you hit the nail on the head. I personally feel that statues of individuals like Mao, Lenin, and Marx who committed significant atrocities in their pursuits of an enlightened civilization should be retained, though perhaps with updated context on their plaques. Ensuring to identify the positive and negative aspects of those whom they memorialize.
Our lives and history are like the Mosaic's found in our Lodges. To omit the good or bad done is a disservice to ourselves and others to follow. This was touched on last night at Esoterika 316 in the discussion led by VWB Doug, and led to some interesting discussions and conversations.
I firmly believe that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I fear we are living through that process currently, as too many are willing to overlook the flaws of their of ideologies, parties, and beliefs, only acknowledging the positive aspects and ignoring the challenges of what they promote. This in my opinion is a dangerous approach and can only end in tears.
Much of my personal and professional growth started from mistakes that I made. Life, much like a new skill or hobby is not started from perfection, but rather through repeated attempts to improve and make oneself a better version than we began.
Excellent topic and I hope that as a society we can shift away from ignorance, instead learning to appreciate the good with the bad, with clear eyes. Seeking better solutions and learning from our mistakes.
Illustrious Brother Albert Pike lives in our Lodges and in many of our hearts and minds. A thousand pounds of brass is the least of his memorials, it's the actions of inspired Masons that best honors his memory. As to the placement of his statue, I would move it to a place where he can be honored by Masons, and his image protected. I have visited the site where his statue stood, and will stand, and each day 1000s of people walk by and have no interest in who he is, and to me it feels like a lonely thing. A part of me feels Guthrie Oklahoma might be a deserving home for this statue. Each year they perform the rituals derived from Pikes brilliant mind, and each year many men travel 100s and 1000s of miles to see it. Having the statue there, it might add to the effect of the degrees performance and inspire many men to seek further light.
I can't disagree. The magnificent Temple in Guthrie, with the truly profound work that goes on inside of it would be a perfect permanent home to this monument.
His statue was never meant to be an honor to him as a Confederate, but as a statesman and Mason. He fought to protect Native rights and treaties for decades. In other words, it's not another one of the Lost Cause revival monuments.
But most people don't know that. There was a frenzy to build on the momentum of BLM that (IMO) went too far at times.
Even years before, I was on a plane and an African-American gentleman mentioned him in a conversation with me. It's hard to talk about. You don't want to sound like an apologist for bad things, but he was far better than his peers and ended up a better person in the end, even befriending the head of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite.
The man that said this can't be all bad:
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal".
Agreed. Back in the days I had a real office I had that quote framed and hung on my office wall.
I think that Albert Pike is an indispensable figure of entire freemasonry without whom we can’t explain our modern organization. I was in my homeland country in the moment when the statue was removed, I was very saddened not to see it the day I visited Washington, D.C., although I know there is a bust of him at the House of the Temple, but it's not the same. I admire his Masonic figure to such an extent that I own an original photograph of him, which is probably my most valuable Masonic possession besides my masonic books.
I was also sad to see that they removed his bust from the top of the staircase at the HoTT.
I did not know this, and am sad to learn of it.
In my view that says much more about the SRSJ in 2025 than it does Brother Pike, and what it says isn't good.
Interesting information considering that in HoTT there is the Albert Pike Museum, quote, "is a dedicated memorial to Albert Pike, who was Grand Commander of this Supreme Council from 1859 until his death in 1891." Maybe they moved it temporarily, but considering the above, it seems strange to me.
I tend to agree. Certainly I have spent more time reading his words on Freemasonry than I have any other writer, past or present. His insights into our Craft, and its highest role in our society are truly profound.
Your photograph of him is quite a treasure! I'm not aware of anything quite so valuable of him in my Jurisdiction. I believe the coolest thing we have of him here in Washington is his signature in a Tylers Register from when he visited one of our Craft Lodges. That Lodge remains active and vital today, despite the fact that the town in which it is based is largely a ghost town now.
The NPR article was absolutely infuriating. Anything they can even attempt to try and tie him to they do. But they never mention that he was the best friend of Native Americans… Possibly their only friend in the judicial system.
At the end of the day it is a monument to his work in and on behalf of Freemasonry, not his military acumen, not the CSA or anything else.
While we are talking about statues, as much as I LOVE Johnnie Cash I was very upset that they took Uriah Rose out of Statuary Hall because he was a sympathizer. He was an amazing man and did great things for the legal system of this country.
I didn't read the NPR article as I assumed that it would be filled with nonsense. Heck, I even thought the FOX article was misleading. Alas, unfortunately, sensationalism sells, and always has.
My own State's statues in Statuary Hall are also slated to be removed and replaced with others. The whole thing just seems goofy to me.
When I first became interested in freemasonry it was Pike’s “Morals and Dogma” that drew me in, and so much so that I dedicated three years of weekends of my time, while also fighting cancer, to write a weekly study and opinion of “Morals and Dogma”.
Through that study and also reading of Pike’s post-war life that was dedicated to justice and using his law degree to represent the underserved against oppression from government over reach, I became astutely aware that his life, or any of our lives, should never be judged on one chapter.
I am hardly an apologist for his misdeeds, but it is a fact that Pike did serve time in jail and paid his dues for his confederacy participation.
Post-war Pike did a lot of good and changed a lot of lives.
Without “Morals and Dogma” and the self reflection those writings caused me to, I can state with clear conscience that I am one whose life was changed for the positive because Albert Pike lived.
I’m glad for the return of his statue to its proper place.
Morals and Dogma was either the first or the second book I read as an Entered Apprentice, and I still enjoy reading it today, all these years later. I'm really pleased that the SRSJ has continued publishing his work, and indeed bringing out more (Esoterika) and better versions (Annotated M&D.) There are a great many wonderful Masonic writers, but in my view Pike stands head and shoulders above the rest.
And I must agree with your point. We can not, and should not, judge an entire life by a single chapter of that life.
One of many reasons I love the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction is the leadership has never turned their backs on Pike.
When Pike’s statue was toppled, de Hoyas was front and center live on local news trying to explain to the masses that their anger at Pike was misplaced, and this was the night the toppling happened.
I’m proudly a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society because, as you wrote in your comment, there are so many great Masonic writers and great Masonic books and the SRRS showcases their works.
I gladly pay my 60 dollars a year for that membership because it is so enriching.
For me, Pike is invaluable to the craft as a whole inspiring the likes of Manly P. Hall, certainly Arturo de Hoyas who has done a masterful job reintroducing so many of us to the old volumes, his work on M and D annotated version is de Hoyas’ master work and has meant so much to me.
Some years I am sad to see volumes of HEREDOM (the yearly publication of SRRS) thinner than other years as new Masonic writers are hard to find.
I hope this changes and maybe this new-ish interest in Pike can be a catalyst to inspire more to embrace the esoteric side of Masonry and confess their love for it in copious written works
(Thanks for allowing this ramble in your thread 😀)
I'm with you, 100% when it comes to the Scottish Rite Research Society! I've been a member for a great many years now, and am completely convinced that it is the best value in all of Masonry!
I do try to convince others to join, and I wish that more would.
This is Trump and co. punishing all the young woke assholes for "cancelling" all the historical figures they vindicate (for the wrong reasons).
Our government here in Canada, in contrast, is still sucking up to them by not returning our first Prime Minister and Queen Victoria to their rightful places after they were also horrifically vandalized...
But as a published historian, I agree with you that no one in history is entirely good or bad- it is time itself and the changes it brings that makes heroes out of villains and vice versa.
The Pike statues restoration is certainly the work of President Trump, but I think the movement to restore these statues torn down in the riots is much broader than him. The statues being restored in Portland, Oregon are being put back into place by the City of Portland, the leadership of which is as far from Trumpism as possible.
>>>no one in history is entirely good or bad- it is time itself and the changes it brings that >>>makes heroes out of villains and vice versa.
Agreed, 100%. I think that all of us would be horrified to think that we would be judged only by the worst thing we did in our life, and that everything good we did would be disregarded. If we don't want that to happen to our memory, we shouldn't be doing it to the memory of others.
I'm sorry to know that a statue of Queen Victoria was vandalized at that time. I have really fond memories of traveling up to Victoria B.C. on the Princess Margaret as a child. The first thing I'd see when we would step off the boat each time would be the statue of the Queen in front of the BC Parliament, and the first thing I'd hear would be the bagpipes.
The vandalized statue of the Queen was in my hometown, Winnipeg. The statuary in Victoria, B.C. was all doing fine when I visited there.
I'm glad to know that, and this reminds me that I need to visit Victoria again soon! I love it there.
I don’t support vandalism of monuments. I also believe not all history or historical figures should be memorialized on the public square.
I believe it’s legitimate to use lawful process to move monuments representing questionable values to museums and other more appropriate venues where the history can be preserved without endorsing.
Pike is portrayed for substantial contributions to Freemasonry and society. Unfortunately, his CSA connection blocks many from seeing those contributions. I believe his story would be better told in a museum or other curated setting.
Well said! And I would add that timing and context should be considered when memorializing a figure in a public setting. It should be noted that many of the Confederate monuments were placed in (the southern states of) America during the 1920's, several generations after the Civil War, and during the Jim Crow Era with support of the Klan. One can argue whether these monuments were intended to promote and perpetuate the CSA and its cause, but it cannot be argued IMHO that these monuments served as a stick in the eye of many. You can imagine the feelings if a statue of King George III was erected in Boston Harbor, or a monument to George Armstrong Custer was erected on the Crow or Pine Ridge Reservations,
Like MW Cameron, I believe Pike was a great Freemason, but flawed as we all are. And I believe all history should be read in context. We don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. I certainly agree with Brother Dean that Sovereign Grand Commander Pike's story would be better told in a museum or other curated setting, and I would exhort all Masons to learn of his complete story - warts and all. I believe his stature will stand up to any scrutiny.
Your words are most kind, brother.
In the former Confederate States, County Courthouses built after the reconstruction period in the late 19th & early 20th Century were symbolically built facing South. Any true Southerner will be happy to explain why. ;-)
The victors in war don’t always write the history. The “Lost Cause” narrative is still strong in the Southern culture. My personal belief is the Confederate monuments were erected in the South in the early 20th Century to remind everyone who was actually in charge in the South.
In Pike’s case, I believe it’s important that his CSA generalship, rumors of questionable affiliations and some the provocative racial comments attributed to him not be the whole or the most part of his story. Unfortunately, it’s easy for the intellectually lazy to lump Pike with CSA VP Alexander H. Stephens or CSA Gen. and KKK leader Nathan Bedford Forrest.
I’d prefer to see Pike’s statue inside and well curated.
>>>I would exhort all Masons to learn of his complete story - warts and all. I believe his >>>stature will stand up to any scrutiny.
I stand in complete agreement with this. There is little sadder than listening to a Freemason spout nonsense about Brother Pike. Attributing faults to him that he did not commit, or downplaying those faults that he did possess. He was, like all of us, a complicated man. But I also agree, his essential good will hold up to honest scrutiny.
I don't disagree. The world changes, and monuments need to change with it. In ordinary and lawful ways. I would not object to the monument being moved into a museum, particularly into a Scottish Rite controlled space.
MWB Cameron, I think you hit the nail on the head. I personally feel that statues of individuals like Mao, Lenin, and Marx who committed significant atrocities in their pursuits of an enlightened civilization should be retained, though perhaps with updated context on their plaques. Ensuring to identify the positive and negative aspects of those whom they memorialize.
Our lives and history are like the Mosaic's found in our Lodges. To omit the good or bad done is a disservice to ourselves and others to follow. This was touched on last night at Esoterika 316 in the discussion led by VWB Doug, and led to some interesting discussions and conversations.
I firmly believe that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I fear we are living through that process currently, as too many are willing to overlook the flaws of their of ideologies, parties, and beliefs, only acknowledging the positive aspects and ignoring the challenges of what they promote. This in my opinion is a dangerous approach and can only end in tears.
Much of my personal and professional growth started from mistakes that I made. Life, much like a new skill or hobby is not started from perfection, but rather through repeated attempts to improve and make oneself a better version than we began.
Excellent topic and I hope that as a society we can shift away from ignorance, instead learning to appreciate the good with the bad, with clear eyes. Seeking better solutions and learning from our mistakes.
Your points are very well taken Brother. Thank you. We can't avoid the mistakes of the past, if we refuse to learn history.
Illustrious Brother Albert Pike lives in our Lodges and in many of our hearts and minds. A thousand pounds of brass is the least of his memorials, it's the actions of inspired Masons that best honors his memory. As to the placement of his statue, I would move it to a place where he can be honored by Masons, and his image protected. I have visited the site where his statue stood, and will stand, and each day 1000s of people walk by and have no interest in who he is, and to me it feels like a lonely thing. A part of me feels Guthrie Oklahoma might be a deserving home for this statue. Each year they perform the rituals derived from Pikes brilliant mind, and each year many men travel 100s and 1000s of miles to see it. Having the statue there, it might add to the effect of the degrees performance and inspire many men to seek further light.
I can't disagree. The magnificent Temple in Guthrie, with the truly profound work that goes on inside of it would be a perfect permanent home to this monument.
His statue was never meant to be an honor to him as a Confederate, but as a statesman and Mason. He fought to protect Native rights and treaties for decades. In other words, it's not another one of the Lost Cause revival monuments.
But most people don't know that. There was a frenzy to build on the momentum of BLM that (IMO) went too far at times.
Even years before, I was on a plane and an African-American gentleman mentioned him in a conversation with me. It's hard to talk about. You don't want to sound like an apologist for bad things, but he was far better than his peers and ended up a better person in the end, even befriending the head of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite.
Thank you Brother.
>>>he was far better than his peers and ended up a better person in the end
I can't imagine much more Masonic than that!
A view on the subject from The Magpie Mason:
https://themagpiemason.blogspot.com/2025/10/dont-meet-on-level-of-commonplace.html
And a report from Chris Hodapp:
https://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com/2025/10/hes-back-pike-statue-restored-in.html