A Short Masonic Look at Cuba—In Pictures

Someone remarked somewhere—and you can’t get a much more accurate source that that, can you?—that the bulk of Masonic research these days is being done by non-Masons. Cynics might remark Masons don’t have time for research because they’re too busy arguing over what kind of sandwiches to have after the meeting, but I digress.

A (non-argumentative) Past Master of one of my Lodges called the other day and told me about a fellow interested in Freemasonry. The P.M. was in the Eastern Star with this fellow’s aunt, who just passed away last week. The fellow and I have had a chat on the phone and, even though he’s not a Mason, he revealed he’s been photographing Masonic Lodge buildings. And not just any buildings. His pictures are of Lodge Halls in Cuba. And he’s posted a bunch on the internet.

No, these weren’t taken before Fidel Castro gave up his dream of hurling fastballs with the last-place Washington Senators and turned his attention to other mundane things. Canadian tourists still visit Cuba regularly. And, as surprising as it sounds, tourists take pictures. Even in (gasp!) “Communist Cuba.”

It stuns some American brothers that Freemasonry and Communism can co-exist. After all, Commies are the bad guys who want to take away everyone’s freedoms, right? Wasn’t that the point of the Cold War, after all? Setting aside politics, let it be said Freemasonry has survived numerous tribulations on the lovely island nation (including dueling Grand Lodges in the 19th century) and continues today.

I’ve been meaning to post photos of Masonic items I’ve found hither and yon on the web, but the forementioned conversation has given me an excuse. Our brief travelogue begins amidst the plaintive cry of pelican in wind-swept Santa Fe, a fishing village west of Havana. Observe the rays from the all-seeing eye in the tympanum (the triangular area in the pediment).

This is the entrance to the Masonic cemetery in South Havana. Notice the cadena de la fraternidad. I don’t know how many graveyards in the world are exclusively Masonic (as opposed to Masonic sections of cemeteries) but there is one just outside Vancouver.

Lodge Dignity and Virtue works from this building in Viñales and is the only Lodge which meets there. The bust left of the entrance is of José Martí, the Cuba poet and patriot, and chiseled beneath are his words about the purposes of the mysteries of the Masonic Order. Unfortunately, the photo does not take in the full quotation. At least three Lodges in Cuba are named for Martí, and another is named Discípulos de Martí.

And another building sadly in need of paint is in Bahía Honda, about 70 kilometres west of Havana. General Narciso López was another Cuba nationalist, who apparently became a Freemason in Georgia. Many Lodges on the island are named for patroits—and not just Cuban ones. There are Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin Lodges in Havana, while Franklin Delano Roosevelt Lodge works in Central Haiti, Camagüey.

The photos by Robin Thom are on Flickr, and you can find his whole Cuban Masonic picture album HERE. The link will take you to photos of Cuban Masonic sites by others. Especially interesting are those snapped by another individual of the inside of a Masonic Temple in Banes belonging to Logia Hijos de Oriente (Children of the East), which is a really cool name for a Lodge.

Again, Robin is not a Freemason. His late grandfather was, and his grandmother was in Vancouver Chapter No. 2 of the Eastern Star (not exactly a cool name, but at least it’s appropriate).

By the way, the web page of a Lodge on another island—Vancouver Island—has a little pictorial look at a member’s trip to Cuba and more fascinating pictures of Lodge rooms. Go HERE to the site for Malahat Lodge in Mill Bay, north of Victoria.

As the sun sinks slowly in the west and we wave a forlorn farewell to the picturesque palms of the scenic sun-drenched land of lilting sugar cane, let me mention that a number of brothers in one of my Lodges have visited Cuba and met with Masons there. There’s a programme in my Grand Lodge—and in the Grand Lodge of Canada in Ontario—where old, useable Master Mason aprons are donated and sent to the Gran Logia in Havana to give to needy members (see photo to the right from Flickr of Ontarians with a Cuban brother). As you can tell by the pictures of the run-down buildings, Cuban Lodges aren’t wealthy and don’t have spare cash for regalia. I’ve been told of how Cuban brothers have broken down crying over the generosity of Canadian Masons in providing them with their own personal Masonic badge of lambskin. Masons I know have seen the tears of amor fraternal themselves—and you can’t get a much more accurate source that that, can you?

Say, Maybe We DO Run Hollywood! (Or did)

If you go through those lists of famous Masons, you’ll see a roll-call of Tinseltown types who were permitted to knock on the door of the fraternity. But I’ve stumbled across references to Freemasons and Freemasonry in Hollywood in the most unexpected places, and I’m going to share a couple.

I’m a fan of Hollywood’s Golden Age of Animation, when truly creative minds, hands and voices came up with some of the funniest comedy you’ll find anywhere. Yes, voices. Mel Blanc documents his Masonic and Shrine membership in his autobiography. While Walter Lantz, whose Woody Woodpecker cartoons were released by Universal, was not a Mason, Universal’s founder Carl Laemmle was—and Lantz’s autobiography has the picture you see on the right of Laemmle and the King of Jazz, Paul Whiteman, full of Shriney splendour.

Recently, someone has posted old editions of Boxoffice magazine at Issuu.com. Out of curiosity, I decided to check to see if there were any Masonic references. I haven’t gone through all 38 pages of them, but have spotted a couple I thought I’d pass on.

Herb Yates was the founder of Republic Studios. But, to my surprise, he was also a Mason (before he dumped his wife and ran off with Vera Hrubá Ralston). Even more to my surprise is the information contained in the last sentence of this piece from Boxoffice, 12 February 1944:

Honor Herb Yates At Masonic Meet
Herbert J. Yates has been named honorary life president of the newly formed Republic Level Club, comprised of Masons on the lot. Al Rogell was elected president; Al Wilson, first vice-president; Lou Physioec, second vice-president, and Al Newman, secretary and treasurer. Presidents of Masonic clubs in all other major studios were honoured guests at the first meeting. The new organization plans to hold regular meetings on the last Monday of every month.

If anyone knows more about these clubs on studio lots, please send a comment. It’s the first I’ve heard of such a thing.

Republic, by the way, had among its roster of stars John Wayne, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, Masons all. I believe the former Marion Morrison joined late in life. However, Republic was also responsible for Zombies of the Stratosphere, none of whom were members of the Craft. Though there have been some dreadfully dull Lodge meetings I’ve attended where everyone comes out like a zombie.

Al Rogell was a director, as was his brother Sid. They both get a mention in another Boxoffice story, from 18 September 1943:

Masonic Service Group Gets Patriotic Short
HOLLYWOOD—“Your Son Is My Brother,” a short subject filmed as a contribution to the war effort, has just been completed by Hollywood’s motion picture industry and turned over to the Masonic Service Ass’n. It is designed to show all Masons what the fraternity is doing for the armed forces and why Masonic bodies should subscribe funds for expansion of services rendered to fighting men.
Produced by Sid Rogell and directed by Al Rogell, the short was filmed at RKO Radio studios. Mel Riddle prepared the script and players who appear in the film are Una O’Connor, Frank Craven, Richard Quine, Matt Briggs, Effie Parnell, Paul McVeigh, Bruce Edward, Richard Davies, Russell Gleason, Wally Brown, Herb Evers, Stan Gilbert, Dick Stockton, Joan Barclay, Margaret Landry and Charlotte Winters.
The picture will be shown only to Masonic bodies for the purpose of interesting memberships in the Masonic service centers, more than 40 of which are now in operation near cantonments in this country.

Finally, a little story for all those people who bemoan how many Masonic buildings have been sold over the last number of years:

Opens Glendale Temple
GLENDALE, CAL.—Louis Kaplan has opened his new Temple Theatre, converted from the Old Masonic Temple, charging a 10-cent admission. House has 750 seats.

The 10-cent admission should be a giveaway that this didn’t happen recently. This comes from the edition of 3 December 1938.

Yes, it may be true that all those “famous Masons” in Hollywood are dead. Masonic clubs on the lot may have died with the old studio system. But you can rest assured there’s at least one thing that hasn’t changed at all. After all, that’s Masonry. And that’s show biz!