THE PHILALETHES SOCIETY
SEEKERS OF TRUTH
By Allen E. Roberts, FPS
Allen Roberts is a member and Past Master of
Babcock Lodge #322 of Highland Springs, VA.
He is a noted Masonic writer and historian. Bro.
Roberts has many books to his credit including
House Undivided, Brother Truman and Freemasonry In American History.
His writings have earned him the title "fellow"
in five research lodges.
Allen Roberts, FPS, also serves the Philalethes
Society as its Executive Secretary. In this STB
Allen gives a brief history of the Philalethes, its
reason for existence, and some of the society's
accomplishments.
Page 8 will be helpful to those interested in
becoming members.
-Editor.
Throughout the known history of Freemasonry
myths, falsehoods, and exaggerations have been
prevalent. The quest for Truth is a divine attribute
that all Master Masons are urged to pursue, but not
all members of the Craft follow.
From the founding of Speculative Freemasonry
there have been those within the Craft who haven't
been satisfied with extolling Masonry's legitimate
accomplishments. Some have believed, and some
still do, that its achievements must be exaggerated.
And there are those who become extremely agitated when they are told the truth.
Large organizations, including governments, no
matter how well intentioned, tend to become
bureaucracies. Freemasonry is no exception.
Within the United States alone there are 51 Grand
Lodges, plus an uncountable number of appendant
bodies. The same is true in other countries. Each
has its own rules, regulations and leaders.
What has this to do with this International
Masonic Research Society? Everything! It's the
foregoing that brought it into existence.
"Petty tyranny gave birth to The Philalethes
Society," I wrote in 1988. "Some Masonic leaders,"
I continued, 'dressed in a little brief authority,'
had attempted to inhibit the spread of truth. They
had attacked, in many cases successfully, the publishing of the written word. They had endeavored to
warp the minds of the greatest intellects in
Freemasonry."
This brought together several Master Masons who
were interested in researching and preserving the
history of the Craft. They believed that in strength
they could withstand and defeat the attacks of leaders who knew little or nothing about Freemasonry.
It was easy to whip one man into defeat, but dificult when several were banded together. The
Philalethes Society would become their bulwark.
On October 1, 1928 a handful of writers, authors
and editors organized this Research Society that has
stood the test of time. The founders read like a
"Who Is (Was) Who In Freemasonry." They
include: Robert I. Clegg of Chicago, Illinois, revisor of Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry;
George H. Imbrie of Kansas City, Missouri, a foremost Masonic researcher; Cyrus Field Willard of
San Diego, California, another excellent Masonic
researcher whose work is still read today; Alfred H.
Moorhouse of Boston, Massachusetts, editor of The
New England Masonic Craftsman; Henry F. Evans
of Denver, Colorado, editor of the Square and
Compass; and William C. Rapp of Chicago,
Illinois, editor of the Chicago Masonic Chronicler.
The name selected was "Philalethes" (pronounced
fill-a-lay-thees), a Greek word meaning "love of
truth." It was certainly a meaningful title, but
because of its foreign relationship, difficult to
"sell."
In the early years of the Society there were few
members and even fewer dollars. Even so, members wrote excellent articles for the Craft. These
were published under the name of the Society in
several Masonic periodicals. Many of them
appeared in Colorado's Square and Compass. Just
before the United States entered World War II, the
Society was ready to unveil its own periodical. But
the war intervened. Paper, along with many other
commodities, was scarce.
With the end of the war normalcy gradually
returned. The Philalethes Society had survived, and
grown slightly. It had whipped the "Great
Depression" and World War II. The more enlightened members of the Craft, and others who desired
to learn about Freemasonry, other than the ritual,
found membership in the Society invaluable.
When the country returned to something resembling normalcy, the Society took the step it had
wanted to in 1928--the publishing of its own periodical. In March 1946 Volume 1, No. 1 of The
Philalethes was issued. From that day to the present
it has published articles written by many of the foremost Freemasons throughout the world.
For the first time what had happened to
Freemasonry in Europe was universally covered.
The Society's members and Fellows had followed
the subjugation of Masons and others since its formation. Their observations were often published in
regional periodicals, but these had limited circulations. There had been no national or international
publication. Now there was.
Through the pages of The Philalethes, the world
was informed that with the end of the war,
Brotherhood was put into action. President Harry S.
Truman, a Past Grand Master of Masons in
Missouri, followed a suggestion by Carl H. Claudy,
FPS. Claudy, Executive Secretary of The Masonic
Service Association, proposed that Americans learn
about the conditions in Europe. Truman appointed
a commission headed by Ray V. Denslow, FPS, to
discover what had occurred during the Hitler years.
The President provided a plane and funds for the
investigation. The report was widely distributed.
In the first anniversary issue of The Philalethes,
the Editor/President, Walter A. Quincke, wrote: "It
is the purpose of The Philalethes Society to raise
Freemasonry to a higher plane of service, and
Editor-members of Masonic magazines, here and
abroad, are privileged to reprint either in part or in
full, any articles first published in The Philalethes,
provided due credit is given as to their source." This
same authorization holds true today.
From the first, many Masonic "scoops" were
found in The Philalethes. For instance, a member of
the Society in Paris, France, reported on the cele-
bration of a change of the name of a lodge. It
became Franklin D. Roosevelt Lodge on June 15,
1945. Thousands were present.
On the anniversary of Roosevelt's death, April 12,
1947, more Freemasons and citizens were present
for the memorial services. The Franklin Delano
Roosevelt Hall in Paris was inaugurated on
December 9, 1948. His widow, Eleanor, was the
guest of honor. She was led into the hall under an
"arch of steel." When she finished speaking, she
received a standing ovation, then the Grand Master
ordered a "triple battery in her honor." She said she
would never forget this Masonic experience.
In Europe Roosevelt was considered a hero. It
would be 1975 before Americans learned how he
had flirted with impeachment to help Great Britain
from the beginning of the Nazi attempt to conquer
the world. Even today there are many who do not
know of his courage.
From the beginning, The Philalethes Society has
endeavored to turn Freemasons into readers. (Its
success has been dubious!) In an early issue it published
this poem by an unknown poet:
Too Busy To Read
An hour with a book would have brought to his mind
The secret it took him a whole year to find
The facts that he learned at enormous expense
Were all on a library shelf to commence.
Alas! for our hero; to busy to read,
He was also too busy, it proved, to succeed
We may win without energy, skill, or a smile
We may win without credit, or backing, or style
Without patience or aptitude, purpose or wit -
We may even succeed if we're lacking in grit
But take it from me as a mighty safe hint,
A civilized man cannot win without print.
A few Masonic leaders were disturbed by what
they considered "ultra-conservative" Masons in
power in 1948, who demanded European Grand
Lodges prove their "regularity." Melvin Maynard
Johnson, FPS, Grand Commander of the Scottish
Rite, NMJ, and Past Grand Master of Masons in
Massachusetts, was concerned. In his outspoken
manner, he said as much in an article published
The Philalethes.
Regarding regularity, he said: "It seems to me to be
self-evident that the time to help with treatment and
nursing is while one is sick and needs help, instead
of waiting until he is either cured or dead."
"No American is a real Freemason," Johnson continued, "no matter what jewels he may wear, if he
idly watches the destruction of Freemasonry and its
ideals in other lands when he, with his brethren, has
the opportunity of being a good Samaritan."
Johnson's views, and others of similar vein, published in The Philalethes, for a time brought about
much unity in Freemasonry throughout the free
world. For varying reasons this unity disappeared a
few years later. Today there are many attempting to
bring back true universality among the Craft.
The Philalethes Society has always been intrnational. Because of this it has been able to keep
American Freemasonry informed about worldwide Masonic activities. The horrors of dictatorships have been recorded. The Philalethes covered the persecution of Freemasons, Jews, and
others under the Hitler regime.
It followed the betrayal of Bernard Fay, a French
traitor, who had duped many Masonic leaders in
the United States. He had convinced them he
would write the truth about the history of
Freemasonry. Actually, while he was writing his
Revolution and Freemasonry he was a Nazi collaborator and anti-Mason.
Through Fay's efforts, some 60,000 Freemasons
were murdered or imprisoned by the Vichy pup-
pets. In 1946 Fay was sentenced by a French court
to life in prison at hard labor. About seven years
later, Fay escaped from the French penitentiary
where he was incarcerated. How he managed this
"impossible" deed has never been determined.
Ironically, he continued residing and writing in
France until his death on December 31, 1978! So
well had Fay tricked Freemasons, his works are
still quoted as legitimate!
No society or Masonic organization in the world
has attracted so many of the world's foremost
Freemasons as has The Philalethes Society. To list
all of them would take up this whole Short Talk
Bulletin. They are among "the cream of the crop"
of Masonic writers, authors and educators. All
were willing to freely give of their time and talent
for the benefit of their fellow Freemasons.
The Society has always been proud to claim its
acts as a clearing house for Masonic knowledge.
In 19 95 it went further--it sponsored a Masonic
Leadership Center to compile and distribute
Masonic educational material. Its web site offers a
course for Masonic leaders and other students of
the Craft.
Other advantages the members receive include
the receipt of six excellent magazines each year.
Each issue contains a variety of articles to enrich
the readers' knowledge. These articles are written
by and for its members, Fellows, and other
Freemasons.
The Philalethes Society is for those who seek
more light in Freemasonry, and for those who
have light to impart.
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