Your post referencing the resignations of the Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer of the Arkansas Grand Lodge has all the trappings of the best of the "Tabloids," taken completely out of context, and devoid of any facts researched before publication...Masons | Masonic Resignations | Small Town Freemasonry | Freemasonry | Grand Lodge of Arkansas | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com
Grand Secretary James Weatherall has been carefully planning his retirement for the last 4 years, due to culminate in the Spring of this year;
Grand Treasurer Garry Jones has been urged by his doctors to permanently curtail his activities due to on-going and increasing health problems. Knowing he would not want his medical history discussed with strangers, I will not elaborate.
I have known both of these honorable gentlemen for over 20 years, and have spent many, many hours in pleasant conversations with both of them, on personal and Masonic levels. Their resignations have nothing whatever to do with any current dealings of the Grand Lodge or any of its officers.
Doug Simmons
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Arkansas Grand Lodge resignations confirmed
Below is a recent email from Doug Simmons, Past Deputy Grand Lecturer and Past District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, published with his permission:
Well. Okay, then.
ReplyDeleteI thanked Bro. Simmons for complimenting the tabloid style. I researched old gossip columnists like Hedda Hopper, Ed Sullivan and Louella Parsons to get the tone just right.
ReplyDelete— W.S.
Actually, to be compared to a tabloid isn't the dig it used to be. The National Enquirer was up for a Pulitzer last month, for doggedly following the John Edwards sex/love child scandal for months while the mainstream press ignored it.
ReplyDeleteDon't make me become an investigative journalist!
— W.S.
mmmm, both grand treasurer and grand secretary of the GLoO both "retired' too after their fiasco in Ohio.
ReplyDeleteI am sure it had nothing to do with what is happening.
purely coincidental.....
Sometimes when some are left at their posts toooo long, bad things can and may happen.
Interesting........
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall that at the 2010 annual communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Arkansas, the following legislation was approved, thereby becoming Masonic law in Arkansas:
"Any form of electronic communication pertaining to matters of Masonic business is prohibited when used as a forum to debate Masonic Law or issues and will subject the member(s) to a charge of unmasonic [sic] conduct."
Since Brother Simmons' actions in sending the quoted email to this publication, are an obvious and specific violation of the Arkansas Masonic law quoted above, I wonder if he'll be charged with un-Masonic conduct, as the statute says "WILL" occur.
I'm going to say there isn't a chance in hell.
Instead, it'll be simply another case of "selective enforcement," whereby it's perfectly fine for Grand Lodge "insiders" to do things that ordinary Arkansas Masons are routinely expelled for doing.
Brother Simmons is a Past DDGM for his Masonic area (the one in which Derek Gordon's "Sebastian Lodge" is located), and he's received numerous "awards" from the Grand Lodge for his "service" to Arkansas Masonry.
The fact that he won't be charged, or even admonished for his obvious violation, will be yet another example of the corruption that so thoroughly pervades the Grand Lodge of Arkansas.
It's truly an organization that's rotten to the core, and Doug Simmons is one of its most prominent members.
-- Diogenes
Ok. My comments, based on my views on how groups should be run/governed.
ReplyDelete"Grand Secretary James Weatherall has been carefully planning his retirement for the last 4 years, due to culminate in the Spring of this year;"
Ok. But wouldn't a better idea be to just NOT RUN FOR ANOTHER TERM? If he's resigning, obviously his term of office is not up. If he was 'planning his retirement for 4 years', I would have thought a better plan would be to let people know he wouldn't run for the 2010-2011 elections, and let others run.
"Grand Treasurer Garry Jones has been urged by his doctors to permanently curtail his activities due to on-going and increasing health problems."
Ok. I assume something changed in his health such that his doctor wanted to step back his activities now, thus instead of serving out his term, he is resigning. BUT, you do have to admit its strange happening right now.
I believe I saw a note that said these guys have been running things for decades. I assume this means they've been holding the same position. This is really never a good things for any org. If people won't step down from their position after 2-3 terms, setting term limits is usually a good response.
I love conspiracies, but here are the facts on this one. James Weatherall announced at the 2010 Grand Lodge that he would not run again and was retiring with 62nd birthday, making him eligible to draw his SS and Grand Lodge retirement. He is doing just what he said, retiring at age 62. James wanted to retire as early as possible because his father never got that opportunity. Pray for him.
ReplyDeleteGarry Jones is a decorated Vietnam Veteran, he has developed a medical condition connected with his exposure during the period to Agent Orange. He is doing everything his doctors suggest to live as long as possible. He discovered his condition during a doctors appointment on the second day of the 2010 Grand Lodge Session. Pray for him.
Now, as to all the speculation as to this being the result in some change of attitude. Refer to the report of the February 2005 Grand Lodge Session. Look in the Grand Master's decisions. You will find there the the Grand Lodge supported the Grand Master's decision that neither race or ethnicity is a determinate for membership in the Grand Jurisdiction of Arkansas. You may also want to note that there are good Masons of all races and ethnicity enjoying membership there.
Finally, the current Grand Master has appointed two PGMs to fill the vacancies. Dan Lloyd will serve as Grand Secretary - during his GM year, he attended the installation of the first African American to be installed as a Worshipful Master in a Texas Lodge. Ronnie Hedge will serve as Grand Treasurer. As Grand Master, Ronnie issued the letter concerning the Arkansas license plate. His decision was overwhelmingly confirmed by the delegates at the 2010 Grand Lodge Session.
While I'm sure this will shed light for some, others will find deeper conspiracies. Instead of doing the work of Freemasons, some seem to thrive on defiance, destruction and anarchy. Yes, there seems to something for everyone in our wonderful Fraternity.
-LW
James Weatherall didn't decline to run for a final term because he's a master politician and a master manipulator, who had a much greater plan in mind. He wanted to maintain control of his empire even after retiring, and in order to do that, he knew it would be necessary to ensure that his hand-picked successor would take over where left off.
ReplyDeleteWeatherall knew that it's a lot easier for an incumbent to get elected, than it would have been if he'd retired at the end of his term, and left the office "up for grabs" by several brothers who may have been interested in running for it. As it stands, when PGM Dan Lloyd runs for reelection as Grand Secretary in 2011, he probably won't have any opposition, and if he does, he'll have a distinct advantage, having already received 8 months of on-the-job experience (Arkansas Grand Lodge "elections" are held each February).
As for Garry C. Jones, he's such an "honorable" fellow that for years and years, he presented the delegates to the annual sessions of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas with 10-month accountings for 12 months of Grand Lodge business.
Each year, his Grand Treasurer's Report began with January 1, and ended with October 31, with the explanation that the Grand Lodge fiscal year ended on October 31. Unfortunately, there was never a "carry over" for the period from November 1, through December 31, of any preceding year. Therefore, the officers of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas were free to do anything they wanted to with the Grand Lodge finances for 2 months of each year, and very few people were ever any the wiser.
A few years ago, someone (who was later unjustly expelled) called the discrepancy to the attention of the Grand Lodge Bookkeeper, who at the time was Omer B. "Bernie" Singleton. His reply was: "Do you think I don't know that? I've known that ever since I've been working there, but what do you expect ME to do about it?" Today, Bernie Singleton is the Grand Senior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, and is on track to be "elected" Grand Master in February, 2012. Obviously, turning a blind eye to corruption paid significant dividends for him.
And so goes Masonic politics in Arkansas.
If anyone is inclined to pray, I think they should pray for the Masons of Arkansas, because the regular brethren there clearly need some Divine intervention to protect them from those who've lost their moral compasses.
-- Diogenes
Once again Diogenes provides false information. Check your facts, Bernie Singleton is not the Grand Senior Warden, nor does he hold any Grand Lodge position.
ReplyDeleteThe most wonderful thing about people like Diogenes is that they simply can't get their facts straight and keep walking into walls.
One must ponder, if Diogenes is correct about the corruption done by James Weatherall and Garry Jones, the one would have to believe that the delegates to the Grand Lodge are either also corrupt or ignorant beyond belief. If one accepts either of those propositions, one must consider the fact that the lodges elect their delegates. This would place one in the position of believing the individual lodges are either corrupt, or ignorant.
Sorry Diogenes, I have a lot more faith in Arkansas Masons than you seem to have.
"Lone" wrote:
ReplyDelete"Once again Diogenes provides false information. Check your facts, Bernie Singleton is not the Grand Senior Warden, nor does he hold any Grand Lodge position."
Are you smoking crack?
The Grand Lodge of Arkansas' web site has been shut down for several weeks, and it wasn't updated since last year when Bernie Singleton was the Grand Junior Warden, but until a few days ago, a picture of Singleton as Grand Junior Warden in 2009, could still be seen at the following link: http://www.argrandlodge.org/2009officers.shtml
Since the entire web site of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas now displays an "under construction" banner, the closest I've been able to find is a web archive of the 2007 page, which shows Bernie Singleton as the Grand Junior Deacon:
http://tinyurl.com/3xzk8al
In case you're unfamiliar with Masonic succession, men usually enter the "Grand Line" as the Grand Junior Deacon, and progress one chair per year until becoming Grand Master. Since Singleton was Grand Junior Deacon in 2007, Grand Senior Deacon in 2008, and Grand Junior Warden in 2009, unless he's resigned, he's the Grand Senior Warden today.
"Lone" wrote:
"If Diogenes is correct about the corruption done by James Weatherall and Garry Jones, the[n] one would have to believe that the delegates to the Grand Lodge are either also corrupt or ignorant beyond belief."
The Grand Treasurer's annual report is routinely buried in the middle of a stack of about 100 pages, and it's always discussed at a time when a large portion of the delegates have departed, while the rest have their eyes glazed over and wouldn't notice if the Grand Lodge declared war on Canada.
If you want me to post copies of some 10-month reports, however, I can.
"Lone" wrote:
"One must consider the fact that the lodges elect their delegates…"
The subordinate lodges in Arkansas do NOT elect their delegates to Grand Lodge. Their delegates to Grand Lodge, by law, automatically consist of their 3 principal officers, and, if present, their most junior Past Master. If none of the principal officers can attend, their Secretary or Treasurer may attend in their place, but no other lodge officers or members are eligible to serve as delegates.
I suppose you could say the delegates are "elected," in the same sense that all Masons are "elected" to receive the degrees of Masonry, but it certainly isn't much of an "election" when only 3 delegates are allowed from each lodge, and the only people eligible for those positions are the 3 principal officers.
-- Diogenes
Diogenes,
ReplyDeleteI feel as though I am conversing with a fool or an idiot. I think more probably a fool, one who has made false witness to the point they no longer understand or can see the truth in things.
Let me make this third grade for you Diogenes, lodges hold annual elections for officers. Members know the three principal officers, and by the way, now the secretary, will represent them at the next Grand Lodge session. They are, in fact, electing their representatives to Grand Lodge. If one of them cannot attend, a proxy is elected.
So is that simple enough for you Diogenes? Were you really not capable of working that one out? Are you going back to telling us that you think the Arkansas Masons are too ignorant to understand?
I will not waste my time with you again Diogenes. I fear the old adage may be true, and I want to avoid it: One who argues with a fool becomes one.
-LW
Lone,
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that your insults offer little to bolster your credibility, but you're certainly entitled to continue down that unbecoming road, if you like.
Unfortunately for you, the vast majority of readers here are more than sufficiently intelligent to recognize your semantic games. You may think you're fooling at least a few of them, but I seriously doubt that you are.
To once more reiterate, lodges in Arkansas DO NOT elect Grand Lodge delegates. It isn't even possible to nominate someone as a "Grand Lodge delegate," so how could any "election" for such an office possibly take place?
Each year, subordinate lodges in the Grand Jurisdiction of Arkansas, are required to hold an election for lodge officers. At such elections, brethren are nominated for the offices of Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary, Treasurer, and usually for Senior and Junior Deacons.
No one is ever nominated as -- and no lodge EVER holds an election for Grand Lodge delegates. The fact that principal officers are entitled to represent their lodges at Grand Lodge, is merely incidental to their primary duties and responsibilities.
When lodges elect officers, they usually choose brothers who are active in the routine work of the lodge. They elect brethren who show up at stated meetings and other lodge events, learn ritual work, cook meals, wash dishes, mow the lawn, send in the monthly reports to the Grand Secretary, etc. No lodge ever elects a principal officer with any express thought or consideration of electing Grand Lodge delegates. That's entirely off the radar.
Now, I imagine you're going to continue playing word games, but your motives are as transparent as your insults are un-Masonic.
If you want to continue arguing, why don't you again tell everyone how Bernie Singleton isn't the Grand Senior Warden, and doesn't hold any Grand Lodge office?
If you're ready to concede you were mistaken in calling me a liar about that, why don't you argue about those 10-month Grand Treasurer's reports that your friend Garry C. Jones submitted to the Grand Lodge for years on end? Could it be that you know as well as I do, that I have copies, and am more than willing to post them?
In accord with my own Masonic obligation, I'm going to offer you some "good counsel." When you find yourself in a hole (as you obviously are at the moment), it's probably wise to stop digging.
-- Diogenes
To all who want to know the truth, of course this doesn't mean Diogenes who will never check himself. Call the Grand Lodge office 501-374-6408, ask if Bernie Singleton currently holds any office or position in the Grand Lodge of Arkansas. Then let Diogenes know he needs to check himself.
ReplyDeleteOnly through checking and challenging will you ever stop the insanity of persons like the fool calling himself Diogenes. I find that those claiming a moniker of the highly intelligent, such as this great philosopher of Ancient Greece, usually lack truth and insult the dignity of the name they claim.
LW
Come on now. I have heard that Bernie was forced to self-expel himself a few weeks back. Personally I think this self-expel crap is a joke and is a way to manipulate the rest of the Masons in Arkansas from leaving for any reason.
ReplyDeleteIf something happens and is entirely out of line with Masonic beliefs you cannot just resign in disgust you have to self-expel for life. So if some progressive ideas take root later on youre not allowed back because of these tyrannical rules.
Since when do we have to treat our equals as lords and kings solely because they are in Grand Lodge?
I have been there and I will agree that it is a "royal line" where we have no real vote for leaders. Each one that I have witnessed has been given their seal of approval by Weatherall and others were all but forced to stand aside or risk punishment for challenging the successors that PGMs choose.
Oh I do wait to hear that my eyes and ears were incredibly wrong. I am sure that the 10 active members of my lodge who saw the same crap would be wrong too. That means 20 eyes and 20 ears are broken. How dysfunctional men are. Hey accuse me of fabricating because only 3 per lodge attend. Then my response will tell you that we belong to multiple lodges and are all officers somewhere so that would be the reason.
Alas though I could only wish to have the glorious understanding of the holy men sitting at 700 Scott St.
But I will be called an idiot and ignorant because I just publicly disclosed what happens at Grand Lodge in Little Rock, Arkansas. That is the only way the leadership can win. They have to have Simmons or Lone come in and speak falsehoods to convince us otherwise.
ftpd090,
ReplyDeleteYou are in error for saying I am lying about anything I have written. If you have proof that something I have written is incorrect, give it to me and I will apologize. By the way, the insinuation that I am directed by someone or rewarded is also incorrect. I have been the elected master of a lodge, and never have I been appointed to a Grand Lodge position. I've never even had the chance to be a DDGM. I have attended Grand Lodge for most of the last 25 years.
As far your information about Bernie, I assure you he did not self-expel, nor did he get expelled.
As to your views on "self-expulsion", I happen to agree with you. I also do not think the Grand Master should have the right to expel someone without trial, which is what R.L. Sheffield did during his year.
I think a bigger issue is coming before the 2011 Grand Lodge. Gene Warren suspended two brothers for a year, without a trial or charges being filed against them. I can find no precedence for this action. When questioned, he claimed they voluntarily took the suspension to avoid a trial. So do we now have "Self-suspension"? I hope the Grand Lodge delegates will reject this action in his report and keep it from becoming a part of our law.
Imagine the possibility of one doing something a Grand Master does not like and being faced with the opportunity to self-suspend for a year or two, or "I'll put you before a Grand Lodge Trial Commission".
I am not in a position to get this done, but I wish some lodge would propose a resolution for the 2011 Arkansas Grand Lodge, to prohibit the use of Grand Lodge Trial Commissions. If a Grand Master needs to file charges against a member, let them be filed in the member's lodge and the determination made there.
I have proposed that idea since 1985, to no avail. Most lodges don't want to have a trial so they prefer for Grand Lodge to do the deed. Then we complain about Grand Lodge doing it, and I agree that it is a mess.
Still, the point I want to make is it is one thing to call a person a liar, it is another to back that up with proof. Nothing I have written here is a lie, and there is no proof otherwise.
You have already shown that I was correct about the person calling himself Diogenes being untruthful.
By the way, Diogenes is just one of several monikers this person has written under. You can tell by his style. His others have always been related to some philosophical connection. I know him personally, and have private communications that follow the same writing style. He uses a moniker to spread untruths and trash, confusing the issues for many to the point of absurdity, then gets caught. Suddenly there is a new moniker showing up in the blogs and e-mails, but it is the same person.
LW
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So, "Lone," since Bernie Singleton started this Masonic year as Grand Senior Warden, in order for your statement to be true that he isn't the Grand Senior Warden today, it seems that the number of possibilities for circumstances capable of facilitating that are very limited. In fact, it seems to me they'd be limited to the following:
ReplyDelete(1) He resigned from his office, (2) he resigned from Masonry itself through self-expulsion, or (3) he was removed from office by his superiors.
Which is it, and why?
The closest thing to an "official" response (published on this blog by Doug Simmons), claims that only Weatherall and Jones have resigned, and that those resignations were long planned, and/or had absolutely nothing to do with the Masonic license plate debacle, or the blatantly un-Masonic "suspension pending trial" of a 22-year-old lodge Secretary.
If that's true, it eliminates possibility # 1, and if your claim is true that Singleton "did not self-expel, nor did he get expelled," that eliminates possibility # 2.
Therefore, the only possibility left is # 3, which is that Singleton has been removed from office by his superiors. If that's the case, this is the first I've heard of it, but I'd certainly be interested in hearing more. Would you care to elaborate?
[cont.]
As for telephoning the Grand Lodge offices to confirm that Singleton is no longer the Grand Senior Warden, I would have done that already, but if the Grand Secretary follows the new Masonic rules himself, he wouldn't be able to confirm or deny it.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I checked, telephones are electronic devices, and current Arkansas Masonic law strictly prohibits communication about Masonic matters through such means. I'm sure that the Grand Secretary wouldn't want to commit un-Masonic conduct, so do you see the problem that presents?
Of course, it would be a lot easier to check facts pertaining to the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, if they were more forthcoming with truthful information. Their web site now displays a banner saying "Under Construction," but if they really wanted to be frank about it (no pun intended), the message would say "Under Destruction."
"Lone" writes:
"I wish some lodge would propose a resolution for the 2011 Arkansas Grand Lodge, to prohibit the use of Grand Lodge Trial Commissions. If a Grand Master needs to file charges against a member, let them be filed in the member's lodge and the determination made there."
Allow me to explain how the present state of affairs developed.
In the late 1990s, Grand Junior Deacon George R. Franks, Jr., who at that time was the 3rd highest ranking officer in the Arkansas Highway Police, filed charges of un-Masonic conduct in a Blue Lodge against a young brother, alleging that he had outstanding warrants for his arrest for writing hot checks. As required by Arkansas Masonic law, the charges were read at the next stated communication of the accused brother's lodge, and the Worshipful Master appointed a committee to investigate whether the charges held sufficient merit to proceed to trial.
The committee investigating the accusations ran a 50-state warrants check on the accused brother, which found no warrants whatsoever. They reported their findings to their lodge at its next stated communication, and their recommendation to dismiss the charges as frivolous was voted on and approved. After that, George Franks repeatedly made disparaging remarks about that lodge, commenting to many people about what a nice place it'd make for a liquor store or a service station.
A year or two later, Franks had risen to the rank of Grand Senior Deacon or Grand Junior Warden, and he filed charges of un-Masonic conduct against 3 brothers of another lodge. This time, however, rather than following the customary practice as before, he arranged to have the charges "tried" by a 5-member "Grand Lodge Trial Commission." Franks himself acted as the "Prosecutor," and the trial was conducted in the accused brothers' lodge.
The testimony presented was clearly insufficient to warrant a conviction, but much to the surprise of the numerous brethren who witnessed the event, the Grand Lodge Trial Commission declared the brothers guilty, and expelled them for life. That decision caused such an outcry that Franks refined his technique once more, and never again allowed such a trial to be witnessed in an open lodge.
When Franks was Grand Master, he filed charges of un-Masonic conduct against 6 or 7 brothers, one of whom was a DDGM. Those charges were again tried before Grand Lodge Trial Commissions, appointed by Franks himself, but this time, they were held in back rooms of the Grand Lodge offices in Little Rock. The only the witnesses permitted to enter the building were those specifically summonsed to testify, and those were called and dismissed from the assembly one at a time so that none could hear another's testimony.
Not surprisingly, no accused brother "tried" under such circumstances has ever been acquitted, and the well-refined procedure outlined above is still the one routinely used today by the Grand Lodge to rid itself of all dissenters.
[cont.]
"Lone" writes:
ReplyDelete"The point I want to make is it is one thing to call a person a liar, it is another to back that up with proof."
Strangely, he then writes:
"Nothing I have written here is a lie, and there is no proof otherwise. You have already shown that I was correct about the person calling himself Diogenes being untruthful. ... Diogenes is just one of several monikers this person has written under. ... I know him personally, and have private communications that follow the same writing style. He uses a moniker to spread untruths and trash, confusing the issues for many to the point of absurdity, then gets caught. Suddenly there is a new moniker showing up in the blogs and e-mails, but it is the same person."
At the beginning of his most recent message, however, he wrote:
"If you have proof that something I have written is incorrect, give it to me and I will apologize."
Well, let me tell you, "Lone," I've never posted a single comment or message on ANY blog or web site, including this one.
How is that possible? As the Widow's Son will attest, my browser is too old to process the scripts and cookies required to post on modern message boards. Therefore, whenever I wish to post a comment, I have to email it to him, and he kindly posts it for me.
In the early days of my participation here, my messages appeared as "anonymous," by my request. Later, however, the Widow's Son encouraged me to adopt a moniker so that my compositions would have better continuity. That's when I adopted the name "Diogenes," and it's the ONLY name that ANY of my messages have appeared under ever since.
I would think it should go without saying, but just to be clear, the Widow's Son has never posted ANY of my comments or messages on ANY blog or web site except this one, and since I physically can't post messages myself, it's obvious that your accusation that I use multiple names and post on multiple sites is inaccurate (to say the very least).
So, where is the apology you promised? Could it be in the same place as the "proof" of the "lies" you claim I've been spreading?
"Lone," sir, you have no idea who I am, and if ANY of the information you posted above about yourself is true, I've NEVER had any sort of private communication with you, whatsoever.
I am NOT an Arkansas Mason. I was at one time, but I'm not anymore. I still have a few friends who are members of Arkansas lodges, but none of them are sufficiently "in the loop" to keep up with Masonic events there. Indeed, I often inform them about current events in Arkansas Masonry, long before they've had any other opportunity to learn about them.
If YOU are an Arkansas Mason yourself, however, as your messages obviously imply, allow me to inform you that you're in specific violation of your Grand Lodge's law EVERY TIME you post a message here. You know as well as I do, that current Arkansas Masonic law strictly prohibits Arkansas Masons from communicating about Masonic matters through electronic means, such as this.
If you're a Master Mason in the grand jurisdiction of Arkansas, you swore a solemn oath to "conform to and abide by the bylaws, rules, and edicts of the Grand Lodge." Since you've violated that part of your Master Mason's obligation numerous times in this very thread alone, what do you suppose that says in general about your honor, your integrity, and your credibility?
-- Diogenes
Since when did the Arkansas Grand Lodge accept men of African American desent? I was born and raised in Arkansas and never heard that one.
ReplyDeleteThese were really great information given by you, well I think that It's rotten to the core to the organization's true, and Doug Simmons is one of the most prominent members.
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