1st Annual Iowa Conference on Masonic Education

I am thrilled that the Grand Master of Masons in Iowa has started this program for our Grand Lodge, especially in no less a year than this, when I am Worshipful Master of my lodge (Early Morning Lodge #672, Bettendorf, IA).

In this year, for my lodge, I have already scheduled a series of Masonic Educational programs to be hosted by my lodge, based on materials I found on our Grand Lodge's website. While local participation isn't optimal, it's better than I expected! And now, the Grand Lodge is unveiling programs and tools designed to encourage precisely those aspects of Freemasonry that attracted me to the Fraternity.

I'm very excited, and met Brethren from around the country and - most importantly - from here in Iowa that share my passion for Masonic Light. While I've had a number of personal downturns in my life lately, it is certainly reassuring to have these parts of Masonry being reinforced & promoted in my Grand Jurisdiction.

I want to give a big thanks to all the presenters:

Grand Master Thomas Sturgeon, Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
Deputy Grand Master Eddie Sauls, Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Iowa
Chad Simpson, Director of Program Development, Grand Lodge of Ohio
Tim Whipple, Abraham Lincoln and Freemasonry
Ted Wiley, Chairman Technology Committee & Mentors Assistant
Jay Cole Simser, Chairman Iowa Academy of Masonic Knowledge

And, again, thank you to our Grand Master this year, Craig Davis, for instituting this as an important part of his theme for the year!

Iowa Conference on Masonic Education

The Glory of Kings and the Royal Art

"The earliest writers speak of Freemasonry as a 'Royal Art.' Anderson used the expression in 1723, and in such a way as to show that even then it was no new epithet." - Mackey; Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, p. 647 ["Royal Art"]


In this light, I have chosen "GLORIA REGUM" as the URL for this blog. "Gloria Regum" is the phrase used in the Vulgate for "The GLORY of KINGS" in Proverbs 25:2;

"Gloria Dei celare verbum, et GLORIA REGUM investigare sermonum."

"It is the Glory of God to conceal the Word, and it is the GLORY OF KINGS to seek out the Word."

While this is often translated (as in the KJV) as "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter", the original Hebrew is accurately translated as

"It is the glory of God to conceal [a/the] word: and the glory of kings is to seek out [a/the] word."


I hope my ramblings & meanderings reveal some insight into Masonic ideas and ideals (and not just neurosis!). I truly believe Freemasonry to be the modern avatar of the ancient mysteries, long forgotten as such, but desperately needed as an appropriate place to seek the Rites of Passages long missing from Western society.