As I was concluding the position and duties of Jr. Warden, I had it within my responsibly to again host the ‘Feast of Saint John the Evangelist’, on Dec. 27th (which is the recognized day of this event). Unfortunately we didn’t receive enough RSVP’s from our brothers to make this event happen.
Several times I had the question asked as to why the ‘Holy Saints John’ are the Patron Saints of Freemasonry today. It’s a great question, and hopefully my answer will encourage more to sign up for our ‘Feast of Saint John the Baptist’ on or near June 22nd. This would be the perfect venue to host a paper you may have on this or other meaningful Masonic topics you may feel a calling to share.
http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/ward.html.
I highly encourage you to give it a thorough read, but until then, here are some teasers I have selected below.
In addressing St. John the Baptist, the author surmises “For his refusal to change himself or his message and for his devotion to Jesus, John the Baptist was imprisoned and eventually beheaded by King Herod. The heroism, fidelity, and integrity of John are echoed in the legends of Jacques DeMolay and Hiram Abif …”
He then proposes our St John the Evangelist “…is likely the amalgamation of several New Testament Johns. Including John the Disciple of Christ, John the Epistle writer, and John the Divine of Patmos, the author of the book of Revelation.
So in combining his theories, “There we have two Saints John, very properly described Masonically as parallel figures. Both of unimpeachable character and strong influence on the Western Mind, but one dogmatic and rigid, and the other intellectual and esoteric. In both we find the integrity and inflexible fidelity so common to Masonic teaching, but the manner of teaching those virtues varies between the two.”
In concluding my brothers, it’s my hope that together we can find a time to have meaningful conversations regarding Masonic Education or to discuss anything you may find important to the health and growth or our lodge. I look forward to serving our lodge as your Senior Warden and to having a chance to work with, meet with, and converse with all of you soon.