Founded in 1931, The American Lodge of Research is the oldest, continuous lodge of research in America.

Master’s Message

Valediction

My thanks to everyone for supporting The American Lodge of Research during and since our rebirth in 2021, and especially in these past twelve months. I hope I did a good job for you, and that I’m handing Bro. Yves the keys to a healthy lodge with a long life to come. Our officers—Yves, Michael, Dave, Praveen, Daniel, Erich, and Ziad—particularly made any success possible. Of course, having MW Bill Sardone in our corner is a great benefit.

You realize the Masonic Order lives in uncertain times, and research lodges face unique challenges within the fraternity because we draw members from our Craft lodges but without highfalutin degrees or fancy regalia to entice them. As lodges decrease in number and size, we have fewer opportunities to find future scholars. Consequently, I brought in researchers from other grand lodges this year to share their work and, hopefully, to inspire.

To adapt, I think The ALR should simplify our operations, to wit:

Annual Book of Transactions

Frankly, I believe we ought to abandon this format. Even more candidly, I’ll point out we have abandoned it because it’s been almost fifteen years since we went to press. The ALR does not generate a lot of printable content. PowerPoint presentations are great for the meetings, but we need research papers for our book. Yet, the book is the basis for pursuing membership in the lodge. A Brother pays dues; he receives a book—in theory. The discomforting fact is very few Freemasons are interested in the enterprise of researching, reading, digging, traveling, and writing the history and biography that comprise the content of our communications and the papers in our potential publications. The 250th anniversary of the American Founding is upon us and, while our lodge ought to be at the vanguard of the fraternity’s celebration of the relevant Masonic history, we are not. I am sorry.

My background is in journalism, magazine publishing, and the like, so I’m prejudiced toward producing a quality annual, or semi-annual, or even quarterly (if possible) digital magazine. Maybe some of you know The Journal of the Masonic Society which contained historical research, other educational content, current news, opinion, and more. That’s the model I like and that’s my pitch to you, but the sooner we figure out a workable medium, whatever its shape, the more focused and productive we will become.

Membership

Each of us began as a Corresponding Member, and some achieved election to Active Membership. We have relaxed some of the rules to encourage more Active Memberships to make it easier to become an officer. Perhaps it is time to offer simple Membership, and make the only distinction the Fellow status we reserve for a highly select few who have made a difference in Masonry. For all these years without publishing a book, I cannot articulate what, for example, our Corresponding Members in Finland get for their euros. A combination of changing publishing goals and reforming membership rules can make things easier in the future.

Terms and conditions

We reorganize the officer line every year—that is, after every three Stated Communications. Instead, we should embrace the schedule many research lodges across the country keep: the two-year term, with four meetings per year. I’m at labor in New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786, which meets on four Saturday mornings, evenly spaced three months apart, per year, in two- year terms. The slower pace allows better cultivation of talent. Instead of having to find a new officer or two after three meetings, we have eight meetings for more opportunities for more brethren to get involved. I hope we can make this change or some accommodating compromise.

And it may be a good idea to broaden our meeting schedule to include times other than weeknights. New Jersey’s lodge has more time to spend together on our Saturday mornings. We open at 9:30 a.m. and close around 1 p.m., and then visit a local restaurant for a meal together. On our ALR weeknights, everyone arrives straight from work, maybe grabbing a quick bite somewhere. We try to open at around seven o’clock and finish not too far past ten. I do know some of you must catch trains, so there’s that pressure as well. Maybe Saturdays, perhaps in a mix of weeknights and Saturdays, should be options for our future.

In addition, I am at labor in Civil War Lodge of Research 1865, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. We meet on Saturdays also, but the meeting, while necessary, is only a few hours in a weekend full of visits to Civil War historic sites, our meals together, and other things to do. This lodge enjoys its Grand Lodge’s approval to travel and meet outside the state; in July, it’ll meet in a Georgia lodge during a weekend trip to that state and Tennessee. I look at New York State, and I see limitless opportunities for Masonic travel. I hope we can consider such a plan, even if only occasionally, to liven up our schedule. The historic sites, museums, and other places right here in Manhattan could keep us busy for years.

‘Regrets, I’ve had a few’

➤ I really wanted The ALR to host Zoom meetings this year to unite our members and others “wheresoever dispersed about the face of the earth,” and to bring distant speakers to our lectern. However, scheduling became problematic, and what really discouraged me was the poor attendance I saw at other research lodges’ virtual meetings. I sat in during a recent research lodge meeting on the other side of the country, and there were only myself and the two scheduled speakers present. I would be mortified if I asked a Brother to make time for us only to have such limited attendance.

➤ You’re probably tired of me saying I’m working on our book of transactions, but I am still editing and cobbling together its contents. I do need more papers to make a proper book. Regardless, I will have this off my desk by the end of 2025, but I think we ought to explore that potential digital periodical.

➤ Last year, W. Bro. Michael resumed our tradition of hosting a festive board. I had a cunning plan to continue the custom, but I allowed that plot to come apart. Monday, June 2 was in mind, as that was the 150th anniversary of the opening of the first Masonic Hall that stood at our address. While working on this, another celebration was announced for that anniversary on that night. While I had an alternate historical anniversary to commemorate with a festive board, we couldn’t find another night that wasn’t already busy.

This isn’t goodbye at all. You will find me on the sidelines at, most likely, all of The ALR’s coming meetings and events. After laboring twenty-eight years in the Craft, I want to focus solely and selfishly on what I most enjoy: my research lodges and similar groups and events. In other words, I’ll be around! If anyone thinks he needs some guidance in researching a subject or any editorial assistance in writing a paper, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Cordially & fraternally,

Jay Hochberg