Jim Tresner, 33°, Grand Cross
P.O. Box 70, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044–0070
Book Reviews Editor, The Scottish Rite Journal

One of the great pleasures of my life is to sit by a window, in the winter, with a good book. I have the window open a crack--just enough to feel the freshness in the outside air. That little breath of cold makes me grateful for the warmth of the room behind me. There, comfortable, with a good book, I can glance up from the text from time to time, enjoy the view, and so rest my eyes and spirit. If I'm lucky, it is snowing, and the cat is sitting on the inside windowsill, watching the flakes with deep suspicion and batting at those impertinent enough to drift against the glass. Then I am a contented man, indeed.

And so, for December, here are some good books to read by a winter window, with or without snow.

C. Bruce Hunter. Inner Workings: The Origin and Meaning of the Master's Word, item #M336, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Co., Inc., 2002, hardback, 143 pages, $17.50 plus $6.95 s/h for one book (ISBN 0-88053-094-4); VISA & MasterCard, Fax 804-266-8256; Tel. 804-262-6551; Macoy Publishing, P.O. Box 9759 / 3001 Old Dumbarton Road, Richmond, VA 23228-0759.

I enjoy Brother Hunter's writing, and this book is a delight of clarity, especially dealing with a topic which is anything but clear. We all learned a word, we travel in search of it, and we deal with it at the highest point of the ritual of the Third Degree. But how did a word, which must have started life as a simple password, end up in the center of the Masonic experience?

I won't give away the ending of the book, because it is very much like a whodunit, following deductions and arriving at conclusions. It's worth reading just as a detective story, but it is much more. Of necessity, a good portion of the book is built on speculation--but there is speculation and speculation. The writer clearly labels speculation as such, and it is much more a matter of reasonable inference than of wild-eyed guessing. When original sources are missing, as they often are in Masonry, about the only way to proceed is the way Hunter does: start with modern sources, see how they relate to older sources, and work backward as reasonably as possible. He does that well.

Hunter does something else important, too. He reminds us that we need to check our assumptions. One of the fundamental, underlying assumptions in Masonry is that the Master's Word is Hebrew in its origin. But why do we assume that? Is it true?

If you are interested in the history of the development of the ritual of Freemasonry, there is much here to enjoy, including a useful chronological table which helps put the history of the Word into perspective. If you just enjoy a good puzzle, you'll like the book. If you enjoy a mystery, you probably will not be able to put this book down once you start reading.

Minnesota Scottish Rite Historical Committee, The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Minnesota, 1867-2001, The Scottish Rite Foundation of Duluth, hardback, 304 pages, many b&w illustrations; 4 West Second Street, Duluth, MN 55802-2015; Tel/fax 218-722-2420. Please click here to download the ordering coupon.

I've got to start by admitting a prejudice; I have a special place in my heart for the Masons of Minnesota. I've always enjoyed my visits to the state, and Minnesota's Brethren truly understand Masonic Education. It is a passion with many of them. I honor them in my thoughts and hopes for the Fraternity.

It's a pleasure, then, to read this book, which is a history of the Scottish Rite in the state. It talks about the establishment of Blue Lodge Masonry and Scottish Rite Masonry in Minnesota and gives some fine biographical sketches of the S.G.I.G.s and Deputies. There is a section I especially enjoyed on other prominent Minnesota Scottish Rite Masons. There you can read about such Brethren as Ill. Curtis LeRoy Carlson, 33°, G.C., the founder and, until his death, chairman of Carlson Companies. If that name is not familiar to you, some of its components are Radisson Hotels, TGIFriday Restaurants, and Carlson Wagonlit Travel Agencies.

There's the story of the Doctors Mayo, Masons and founders of the Mayo Clinic, as well as a biographical sketch of Ill. Bro. Gunnar Hans Nordbye, 33°, one of America's most outstanding jurists. And, of course, there is Ill. Harold E Stassen, 33°, G.C. But biography is only a part of the book. There are histories and photographs from each of Minnesota's Valleys, with fascinating anecdotal information about the men who built them and the times through which they lived. That, in fact, may be the best part of the book. The people come alive as we watch Valleys strive against weather, war, human frailty, and still come out on top.

This is a fine book, in the proud tradition of Minnesota quality Masonic information and publication. I recommend it highly.
Editor's Note: Unless otherwise noted, most books are available at or through your local bookstore or over the Internet. Prices may vary.
Jim Tresner is Director of the Masonic Leadership Institute and Editor of The Oklahoma Mason. A frequent contributor to the Scottish Rite Journal and its book review editor, Ill. Bro. Tresner is also a volunteer writer for The Oklahoma Scottish Rite Mason and a video script consultant for the National Masonic Renewal Committee. He is the Director of the Thirty-third Degree Conferral Team and Director of Work at the Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as well as a Life Member of the Scottish Rite Research Society, author of Albert Pike, The Man Beyond the Monument, and Vested in Glory. A member of the steering committee of the Masonic Information Center, Ill. Tresner was awarded the Grand Cross, the Scottish Rite's highest honor, during the Supreme Council's October 1997 Biennial Session.