June 2001
Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team Give 800th Performance | Grand Commander Kleinknecht Presents Revised Standard Pike Ritual To The Northern and Southern Prince Hall Supreme Councils | New Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal Presented In Utah | Portland Presentation Makes History And Sparks Interest In Freemasonry And Rite | Charleston, West Virginia, Brethren Host Mountain State Brass Band | Virginia Conference Accents Membership And Ritual | Lake Worth Scottish Rite Presents New Aprons | A Piece Of History Returns Home | Ill. Montague Graham Clark, Jr., 33°, G.C., 1909-2001
Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team Give 800th Performance
....On March 3, 2001, in the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple, the Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team gave its 800th performance. This was the culmination of a 50-year tradition starting in 1950 when the group was formed by Native American Masons. The Team performs the Master Mason Degree, wearing black slacks and ribbon shirts (a colorful, long-sleeved shirt, with ribbons attached at the shoulder and cuff) for the first section. Each member wears the dance regalia (the full ceremonial clothing) of his tribe for the second section.
....Singing is considered a sacred art among the tribes, and ritual singers are held in high regard. The Team contains two singers who lead the other team members. Both the traditional hymn of the first section and the funeral ode in the second section are replaced by Native American songs in the original language.
The Oklahoma Masonic Indian Team has performed all over the world and in almost every state of the nation. Grand Lodges frequently use the Team as a fundraiser, typically charging $20 for Master Masons to attend the performance. Crowds of as large as 2,000 are not uncommon. The Grand Lodge of Oklahoma marked both the Team’s 800th performance and 50th Anniversary with a special celebration.
....A commemorative coin was cast. Also, a digest titled A Shared Spirit: Freemasonry and the Native American Tradition (see "A Shared Spirit") on the relationship between the Native American Indian traditions and Freemasonry was prepared as a joint publication of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma and the Masonic Service Association of North America. The vast atrium of the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple held displays of Native American art and memorabilia from the history of the Degree Team. Sacred Indian music filled the space as well and was used to introduce the second section of the Degree.
Grand Master M.W. Robert T. Shipe, 33°, issued a special dispensation allowing Fellowcrafts to be raised at the Celebration, and 129 new Master Masons were created that day. Nearly 700 Brothers attended the event, including 25 from out of state. The Grand Lodge was especially honored by the visits of Ill. Richard E. Fletcher, 33°, P.G.M. of Vermont and Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association of North America, and Bro. Drew D. Arthur, 32°, who flew in from Hawaii to attend.
....It was an exciting day, especially for the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple and stage staff. The hope is that most of these new Master Masons will decide to continue their search for Masonic Light by joining the Scottish Rite. We stand ready to serve them.
The Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team had several special guests at its March 3, 2001, performance at the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple. The event’s program lists team members as: Terry Adams, 32°, K.C.C.H., Team Director; Bob Archiquette, 32°; Baron Busby, 32°; Tully Choate, 32°; Lou Fish, 32°; James Harjo, 32°; Kenny Lewis, 32°; Joseph Lynch, 32°; John Miller, 32°, K.C.C.H.; Butch McIntosh, 32°; Kenny McIntosh, 32°, K.C.C.H., Ill. Roley McIntosh, 33° Elect; Jack Phillips, 32°; Cap Ulrey, 32°; Ill. Dale Weddle, 33°. Guests were Ill. Jimmy Dean Hartzell, 33° Elect, Production Coordinator, Guthrie Scottish Rite Bodies; M.W. Robert T. Shipe, 33°, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Oklahoma; Ill. Jim Tresner, 33°. G.C., Director of Work, Guthrie Scottish Rite Bodies; Ill. Richard E. Fletcher, 33°, Executive Secretary, Masonic Service Association of North America; and Drew D. Arthur, 32°, of Hawaii.

Submitted by Ill. Jim Tresner, 33°. G.C.
Director of Work, Guthrie Scottish Rite Bodies

Grand Commander Kleinknecht Presents Revised Standard Pike Ritual
To The Northern and Southern Prince Hall Supreme Councils
....Continuing and extending the amicable relationship begun about 1887 by Sovereign Grand Commander Albert Pike when he gave a copy of Scottish Rite rituals to his friend Ill. Thornton A. Jackson, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, United Supreme Council, S.J., P.H.A., Ill. C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, presented copies of the Revised Standard Pike Ritual to the Sovereign Grand Commanders, Ill. Samuel Brogdon, Jr., 33°, and Ill. Edgar Bridges, 33°, of the Prince Hall Supreme Councils, Northern and Southern Jurisdictions.
Among the Masonic dignitaries attending the historic ceremony on April 18, 2001, during which Grand Commander Kleinknecht presented the Revised Standard Pike Ritual to the Prince Hall Scottish Rite were (l. to r.): Ill. Curtis N. Lancaster, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Utah and Chairman of the Ritual and Ceremonial Forms Committee; Ill. David Kruger, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Virginia and Grand Secretary General; Ill. Aubrey E. Ballard, 33°, Secretary General, United Supreme Council, S.J., P.H.A.; Ill. H. Wallace Reid, 33°, S.G.I.G. in South Carolina and Grand Minister of State; Ill. H. Douglas Lemons, 33°, S.G.I.G. in California and Past Lt. Grand Commander; Ill. Edgar Bridges, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, United Supreme Council, S.J., P.H.A.; Ill. C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, S.J.; Ill. Shelton D. Redden, 33°, Grand Chancellor, S.J., P.H.A.; Ill. Ralph Slaughter, 33°, Grand Auditor, S.J., P.H.A.; and Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Louisiana and Lt. Grand Commander, S.J.

Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33° (c.), presents the Revised Standard Pike Ritual to Ill. Edgar Bridges, 33° (l.), Sovereign Grand Commander, The United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., Inc. (Prince Hall Affiliation); and Ill. Samuel Brogdon, Jr., 33° (r.), Sovereign Grand Commander, The United Supreme Council, Prince Hall Affiliation, Northern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., Inc.


....The formal ceremony took place on April 18, 2001, in the House of the Temple (group photo above), Washington, D.C. The event began with an hour-long informal meeting in Grand Commander Kleinknecht’s office and concluded with a delicious catered luncheon in the International Room for all attendees.
Several S.G.I.G.s from our Jurisdiction were present to witness the historic event: Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33°, Louisiana, Lt. Grand Commander; Ill. H. Douglas Lemons, California, Past Lt. Grand Commander; Ill. David Kruger, 33°, Virginia, Grand Secretary General; Ill. H. Wallace Reid, 33°, South Carolina, Grand Minister of State; Ill. Curtis N. Lancaster, 33°, Utah, Chairman, Ritual and Ceremonial Forms Committee.
....Nine representatives of Prince Hall Scottish Rite Freemasonry attended: Ill. Samuel Brogdon, Jr., 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, The United Supreme Council, Prince Hall Affiliation, Northern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., Inc.; Ill. Edgar Bridges, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, The United Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., Inc. (Prince Hall Affiliation); Ill. Algie S. Oldham, 33°, Lt. Grand Commander, N.J.; Ill. Aubrey E. Ballard, Secretary General, S.J.; Ill. Solomon Wallace, 33°, Grand Minister of State, N.J.; Ill. Shelton D. Redden, 33°, Grand Chancellor, S.J.; Ill. Ralph Slaughter, 33°, Grand Auditor, S.J.; Ill. Carvin L. Bridges, 33°, Aide to the Sovereign Grand Commander, S.J.; and Bro. George T. Johnson, 32°, S.J.
Supreme Council Officers and staff members present were: Ill. William G. Sizemore, 33°, G.C., Grand Executive Director; Ill. John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C., Managing Editor, Scottish Rite Journal; Ill. Arturo de Hoyos, 33°, Grand Archivist and Grand Historian; Ill. Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33°, Director of Major Gifts; Bro. Todd E. Carton, 32°, K.C.C.H., Chief Financial Officer; and Ill. S. Brent Morris, 33°, G.C., Director of Membership Development.
....The informal meeting began with an appropriate and eloquent prayer by Ill. Kruger who invoked the blessing of the Creator on this landmark meeting and accented Freemasonry’s universal embrace of all good men in the fraternal bonds of Masonic Brotherhood. Sovereign Grand Commander Kleinknecht then warmly welcomed all present and began a frank exchange of comments on many fraternal subjects. Ill. Lancaster outlined how the Revised Standard Pike Ritual is focused on bringing the message of the Scottish Rite to today’s potential candidate. Ill. Kleinknecht noted that the Rite in the Southern Jurisdiction is also presenting modified versions of the 17th and 27th Degrees to the general public as a means of making our Order more accessible and understandable to anyone interested in the Fraternity. Similarly, Ill. Seale described how the Rite is placing more emphasis on providing Masons and their families with values and activities relevant to their interests. Ill. Morris responded to questions about membership, and Ill. Brogdon explained the format of his Supreme Council’s Biennial Sessions.
....Ill. Lancaster noted the recent success in Salt Lake City, Utah, of the first presentation of the new “Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal” from the Grand Commander’s new book, Forms and Traditions (see below). Ill. Bridges commented that the new ceremony appears to be an excellent way to avoid any conflict by Freemasonry with the traditional Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday observances of many Christian Brethren. Ill. de Hoyos followed up with an explanation of Forms and Traditions. He explained how our Supreme Council and the Scottish Rite Research Society brought it to completion as a replacement for the frequently used, but now out of print, book, Practice and Procedures.
....Summarizing the meeting, Ill. Brogdon and Bridges thanked Grand Commander Kleinknecht and everyone present for all the courtesy and friendship evidenced by the meeting and the presentation of the Revised Standard Pike Ritual. As a token of this appreciation, Ill. Brogdon presented several copies, to the officers of the Supreme Council present, of the recent book by Ill. Joseph A. Walkes, Jr., 33°, History of The United Supreme Council, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Prince Hall Affiliation, Northern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., Inc., 1881-1998. Returning the courtesy and as a memento of the meeting, Ill. Sizemore, at the suggestion of Grand Commander Kleinknecht, presented a 2001 Biennial Bicentennial Session Medallion mounted in Lucite and a copy of Forms and Traditions to each representative of Prince Hall Freemasonry attending.
Following the meeting, everyone assembled for a formal group portrait taken on the Grand Staircase of the House of the Temple (see inside front cover), and then adjourned for a celebratory luncheon in the International Room, followed by a tour the House of the Temple.
....While many very significant occasions have taken place in the House of the Temple during this biennium, few, if any, surpass this historic meeting between Sovereign Grand Commanders Kleinknecht, Brogdon, and Bridges.

New Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal Presented In Utah

....As reported by Ill. Curtis N. Lancaster, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Utah, the first presentation of the new “Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal” from Grand Commander Kleinknecht’s new book, Forms and Traditions of the Scottish Rite, took place in the Valley of Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 22, 2001. A dinner preceded the program, which was very well attended by members, their families, and guests. The hour-long ceremony, including guest speaker, was presented by members of the K.C.C.H. Club under the direction of Commander Steven D. Lancaster, 32°, K.C.C.H. with Ill. John R. Pendleton, 33°, as the featured speaker.
....The presentation was flawless, and the reaction of those in attendance was unanimously positive. The consensus was that combining the former ceremony of Extinguishing the Lights and the ceremony of Relighting the Lights into the new format was much more meaningful and impressive. Since this ceremony is to be scheduled on or near the Vernal Equinox, there were also many expressions of appreciation for eliminating the conflict with traditional religious services conducted by many churches on Maundy Thursday and Easter morning. The new “Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal” is a significant step forward in showcasing the principles of the Scottish Rite and in cementing relations with various churches.
....Forms and Traditions of the Scottish Rite is the Scottish Rite Research Society (SRRS) bonus book for 2001. SRRS members who are dues current for 2001 have already received the book free of charge. To become a SRRS member (annual membership only $20.00), see page 62.
....To order copies of Forms and Traditions (which supersedes Practice and Procedures for the Scottish Rite), please send checks ($10.00 for each book, s/h included for domestic orders) payable to The Supreme Council to: Grand Executive Director’s Office, 1733 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009-3103. Credit card orders (VISA and MasterCard only, include card expiration date) may be faxed to 202-387-1843 or called in to 202-232-3579, Ext. 136. You can also order online.

Portland Presentation Makes History And Sparks Interest
In Freemasonry And Rite
....The “Friend-to-Friend” program at the Portland Scottish Rite Center on Saturday, March 31, 2001, made history. For the first time ever in Oregon, every Masonic group that meets in the state gathered in one location to display their literature, meet prospective initiates, answer questions, and observe a public presentation of the drama of the 17th Degree, Knight of the East and West.

On March 31, 2001, more than 500 people attended an open house at the Portland, Oregon, Scottish Rite Center. Aside from a reception where guests could visit informative displays hosted by every Masonic group that meets in the state, attendees observed a public presentation of the drama of the 17th Degree, Knight of the East and West.

....Prior to the presentation, more than 500 people filled the dining room where tables were set up for each branch of Masonry. Representatives were present to explain membership requirements, discuss that group’s specific philanthropies, answer questions about meeting locations and times and, most importantly, help remove some of the mystery and false notions about our Fraternity. The Metro section of the Sunday edition of the Oregonian newspaper included an article, written by Ms. Betsy Hammond, about the program. Ms. Hammond was present the entire afternoon and had an opportunity to meet and talk with Masons and non-Masons alike. Her article fairly depicted the goals of the event and showed Masonry in a favorable light.
Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, gave permission for the Portland Valley to present to the public a version of the 17th Degree that had been specially prepared by Ill. Jim Tresner, 33°, G.C., Director of Work, Guthrie, Oklahoma, Scottish Rite Bodies. Under the expert direction of Ill. Stanley E. Schmidt, 33°, Brethren from the Portland and Baker Valleys performed for an audience that nearly filled the Portland Scottish Rite Center’s large auditorium to capacity.
....At least one Blue Lodge has been asked for petitions as a result of the Saturday afternoon program, and this may be only the tip of the iceberg. In addition, this Degree portrayal should motivate non-Scottish Rite Masons to consider petitioning our Valleys. Also, the information provided by other members of our Masonic Family should spark an interest in joining those groups.
Congratulations to all for a job well done!
Submitted by Ill. James J. Taylor, 33°, Deputy of the Supreme Council, Orient of Oregon

Charleston, West Virginia, Brethren Host Mountain State Brass Band
....On Sunday, March 25, 2001, the Scottish Rite Bodies of Charleston, West Virginia, sponsored a free concert by the 35 brass and percussion musicians of the Mountain State Brass Band. About 350 Brethren, guests, and members of the general public enjoyed the band’s spirited and diverse program performed in the Scottish Rite Center’s auditorium. The program ranged from an American Civil War medley and Appalachian Mountain folk song suite to favorites such as “Cum Laude,” “Simple Gifts,” “Knightsbridge March,” “Pastime with Good Company,” and “Stars and Stripes Forever.” A voluntary collection following the concert was evenly divided between the band and the Charleston Valley’s Childhood Language Disorders Center, Inc. Such public events in Scottish Rite Temples not only utilize local Masonic facilities but also introduce our Order to the public in a most enjoyable way.
....Congratulations, Brethren, in fostering good music while benefiting the Rite’s flagship philanthropy in the Mountain State.
Virginia Conference Accents Membership And Ritual
....On March 31, 2001, nearly 200 Brethren gathered at the Richmond, Virginia, Scottish Rite Temple to participate in the Spring Workshop of the Scottish Rite Conference of Virginia. Ill. William M. Benson, 33°, President of the Conference and Secretary of the Portsmouth, Virginia, Scottish Rite Bodies, welcomed the Brethren and asked Ill. William M. Branch, 33°, Conference Chaplain, to deliver the invocation. Then he recognized the Conference’s Secretary and Treasurer, Ill. William F. Perdue, 33°, the Vice Presidents of the Conference, and the heads of all Appendant Bodies, before introducing the Honorary President of the Conference, Ill. David Kruger, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Virginia and Grand Secretary General of the Supreme Council, 33°.
....Ill. Kruger also welcomed those attending, outlined the agenda of the conference, and introduced M.W. James Dean Cole, 33° Elect, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia (see his article). Focusing on the image of the human hand, M.W. Cole eloquently suggested it represents our bond to the Creator, commitment to our Masonic vows, fraternal brotherhood, and the practical opportunity to put Freemasonry’s ideals to work in service to humankind.
....Ill. Benson then introduced Bro. Riley E. Ingram, 32°, Valley of Richmond, Virginia, the 62nd District Representative in the Virginia House of Delegates. With a “down-home” sense of humor, Bro. Ingram explained his stand on several legislative initiatives and underlined how they reflect Scottish Rite Freemasonry’s focus on individual rights. His remarks were warmly welcomed by the Brethren who gave him a standing ovation.
....Ill. S. Brent Morris, 33°, G.C., Director of Membership Development for the Supreme Council, then took the floor and, with the aid of several overlay graphics charting membership trends, presented a clear view of the Scottish Rite’s present membership status and how it can be bettered via a number of ways accessible to every Valley. Among these were a variety of quality programs, enhanced communications, and diverse means of involving Brethren in Scottish Rite Freemasonry. The only necessities are “thinking outside the box” and implementing programs that have already proved effective in several Scottish Rite Valleys.
....Following a delicious barbecue lunch served to all attendees and guests, Ill. John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C., spoke to the subject of the Obligatory Degrees of the Revised Standard Pike Ritual. First, Ill. Boettjer outlined why revision of the Degrees was beneficial to the Rite. Then, he updated the Brethren on specifics, for instance, that illustrations for the Obligatory Degrees will be available by late spring. They will be supplied free by the Supreme Council and will be in two formats: color slides for screen projection or, if desired, in a digital format for PowerPoint presentation.
....Also, a six-CD set of musical recordings for the rituals should be available to each Valley by summer 2001. The Supreme Council will also provide these free along with .pdf (portable document format) files of each piece of music so that sheet music can be printed by most PCs using Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ (www.adobe.com), a free program. With final scripts of the Obligatory Degrees already in hand, the availability of both illustration and music for the Obligatory Degrees allows each Valley to present the Revised Standard Pike Rituals in upcoming Reunions. The remaining Degrees are now being edited and illustrated by Ill. Morris and Ill. Arturo de Hoyos, Grand Archivist and Grand Historian. Similarly, music for these Degrees is being prepared by Bro. Michael W. Brooks, 32°, K.C.C.H., and Ill. Robert M. “Bob” Lang, 33°, co-chairs of the Music Committee of the Valley of St. Louis, Missouri.
....Ill. Kruger closed the Scottish Rite Conference of Virginia by updating the Brethren on a number of Supreme Council initiatives and the many programs ongoing in the Orient of Virginia. In particular, he highlighted the new mobile clinic that is co-sponsored by Radford University and the Virginia Brethren. It will provide access to the diagnostic and treatment services of Scottish Rite’s Childhood Language Disorders Program to several southwest Virginia counties where children do not presently have access to such services. Inspector Kruger then closed the 2001 Scottish Rite Conference of Virginia on a note of accomplishment and renewed dedication to building and bettering the Scottish Rite in the Old Dominion State.
 
Among the distinguished Brethren participating in the 2001 Spring Workshop of the Scottish Rite Conference of Virginia in Richmond on March 31, 2001, were: (seated l. to r.) Ill. David Kruger, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Virginia; Ill. S. Brent Morris, 33°, G.C., Director of Membership Development, the Supreme Council, 33°; Ill. John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C., Managing Editor, the Scottish Rite Journal; (standing l. to r.) Ill. William M. Benson, Sr., 33°, President, Scottish Rite Conference of Virginia; and M.W. James Dean Cole, 33° Elect, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia.

Lake Worth Scottish Rite Presents New Aprons

....During the installation of Officers on January 6, 2001, in the New Boynton Beach Lodge No. 236 in Boynton Beach, Florida, Ill. James H. Kirby, 33°, Special Assistant to the S.G.I.G. in Florida, presented new Lodge aprons to the Blue Lodge (photo left). Brethren of the Lake Worth Scottish Rite sponsored this project in recognition of the Boynton Beach Lodge, past and present, having given the Lake Worth Scottish Rite many leaders. Ill. Kirby urged the Boynton Beach Lodge Officers to continue this outstanding tradition as a means of furthering Freemasonry. A recent project of the Lake Worth Brethren was repairing water damage to the Scottish Rite Center. An elaborate scaffolding was erected during December and January, 2000-2001. It covered the facility’s entire floor and seats and had three tiers of work area. The setting of the scaffolding took three days, painting was done in three days, and it took another three days to remove the scaffolding. The cause of the repair was water damage incurred from Hurricane Irene in October 1999. Incidentally, the morning of Hurricane Irene, the Lake Worth Scottish Rite held its 158th Reunion.

A Piece Of History Returns Home



 ....Riverside Lodge No. 112 F.&A.M. of Wenatchee, Washington, was chartered June 18, 1900, under the M.W. Grand Lodge of Washington. Bro. Richard P. Webb (pictured) served as Master for the first two years, and upon the installation as Master of the Lodge of Bro. Jas Ferguson in February 1902, W.B. Ferguson presented a beautiful Past Master’s jewel to Bro. Webb. We do not know what happened to the jewel after that time. Riverside Lodge celebrated its 100th anniversary in the summer of 2000. Then W.B. Steve Guffy, 32°, K.C.C.H., a member of the Valley of Wenatchee and the Grand Lodge team, rededicated the Lodge.
....In February of 2001, W.B. Ed Kearney, 32°, came to see Bro. Guffy and give him some Masonic artifacts. Bro. Ed said they had been given to him by a Brother. He had not looked at them but knew Bro. Guffy collected such Masonic memorabilia. What a wonderful surprise! It was a Past Master’s jewel, but not any Past Master’s jewel. It was inscribed at the top with the name Richard P. Webb, Charter Master in 1900 of Riverside Lodge!
....What a great gift to have that priceless piece of Masonic history returned home after nearly a century of absence. To the right are photos of Riverside Lodge’s first Master, W.B. Richard P. Webb, and his Past Master’s Jewel, front and back. The jewel and portrait photo are now matted and displayed in the Lodge for everyone to enjoy.
Photos and text submitted by
W.B. Steve Guffy, 32°, K.C.C.H., K.Y.C.H.
Deputy to the Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Washington


IN MEMORIAM
Ill. Montague Graham Clark, Jr., 33°, G.C., 1909-2001
....Illustrious Montague Graham Clark, Jr. 33°, Grand Cross, departed this life on March 15, 2001, in his apartment on the campus of his well-loved College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout, Missouri.
....Born on February 25, 1909, Ill. Clark was educated in public schools in Virginia and Georgia and was an alumnus of Georgia Technical Institute. He worked for the Hoyt Insurance agency of Atlanta, Georgia, before moving, with his wife, Elizabeth, to Point Lookout where he became Vice President of the School of the Ozarks, a home mission project of the Presbyterian Church. In 1950, Dr. Clark was ordained a Presbyterian Minister, and in 1952 he became President of the school which grew to become  a four-year liberal arts college under his guidance.
....Dr. Clark served his college, community, state, and nation through several organizations and boards, among them the Boy Scouts, Rotary,  American Heart Association, Pilot’s Associations and, as President General, the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
....Raised a Master Mason in Morningside Lodge No. 245, Atlanta, Georgia, in May 1946, Ill. Clark joined Branson Lodge No. 387 at Branson, Missouri, receiving an Award of Gold from that Lodge in 1996. Ill. Clark was a member of the York Rite Bodies, joined the Valley of Joplin on May 4, 1957, and was a member of Abou Ben Adhem Shrine in Springfield, Missouri. He served as Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, Grand Chaplain of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Missouri, Grand Prelate of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Missouri, and Imperial Chaplain of the Imperial Shrine of North America. Dr. Clark was invested a K.C.C.H. on October 16, 1963; coroneted a 33° I.G.H. December 6, 1969; and granted the Grand Cross of the Supreme Council on October 16, 1975. In May 1996, Dr. Clark was given a Life Achievement Award by the Scottish Rite Foundation of Missouri.
....Ill. Dr. M. Graham Clark, 33°, Grand Cross, will always be remembered as a patriot, a loving father, the wizard of the Ozarks, and truly a Master Mason.