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Behind the Cover of the Prince Hall, Then and Now Issue Issue

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Meet the Nzilani Glass Conservation in Oakland, the artists behind the cover image of the Prince Hall, Then and Now issue of California Freemason magazine.

Meet the Builders of California’s Newest Masonic Lodges

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A spate of new Masonic lodges have gone up across the state in recent years. What they are building is reshaping the landscape of California Masonry.

At La France No. 885, a Lodge of Bon Vivants

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At La France No. 885, a longstanding legacy of French Freemasonry in California is being carried into the future.

In Prince Hall, Many Masonic Bodies, All Under One Banner

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From the Eastern Star to the Prince Hall Shrine, exploring the many appendant bodies of Prince Hall Masonry in California.

The Heroes of Masonry: They Wear Aprons, Not Capes

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Celebrating the best and brightest of Freemasonry in California.

The Exemplars: Meet the 2024 California Masons of the Year

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Dennis Caoile and Henry Dosdorian, the 2024 Masons of the Year, demonstrate that the common denominator of Freemasonry is service to others.

Stephen Doan: The Mastermind

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In a capstone to a remarkable life and career in Freemasonry, R. Stephen Doan is the 2024 Recipient of the Grand Master’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Masons of California at 175: State of Evolution

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For 175 Years, the Grand Lodge of California has left its mark on the state.

A Timeline of 175 Years of California Masonic History

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Since its founding in 1850, California Masonry has had a profound influence on the state we call home.

The Performance: The Masonic Ritual Takes Center Stage

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The Masonic ritual is an elaborate production seen by only a select few. And yet Masons are committed to putting on the best show possible.

Photo Essay: The Stagecraft of a Masonic Play

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Go behind the scenes at a performance of The Spirit of Hiram, a Masonic play put on by the Pasadena Scottish Rite.

To Understand Masonic Drama, Look to the Stage

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The Masonic ritual is deeply emotional, says theater scholar Pannill Camp. Why? Because, as in theater, that’s what the audience wants.

Chay Wright: Soundtrack of a Life

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In music and in Masonry, Chay Wright owes his life’s passions to his grandfather.

John Gaddis: The Man Behind the Curtain

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John Gaddis, a past master of Long Beach No. 327 and technical director of South Coast Repertory, brings the theater to life.

Erwin Stone: Roles of a Lifetime

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In film and TV, Erwin Stone has played all kinds of characters. Perhaps none is more important than the one he assumes in lodge.

The Shape of Meaning

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Sacred geometry offers a way of reading the world—one that continues to influence architecture throughout California.

Lodge Murals Lay Down the Street Cred

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Murals don’t just emblazon lodge walls—they preserve local memory and reveal the artful ways Masons have connected with their communities.

Monuments to Belonging

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At the turn of the 20th century, scale and spectacle put Masonic temples on the skyline, shoulder to shoulder with banks and courthouses.

Mozart: Mason, Man, Musician

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In The Magic Flute, musical genius and Masonic ideals converge.

For the Freemason on the Go, It’s a Temple On Demand

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A new portable Masonic lodge kit is helping California Masons create a sacred space whenever and wherever.

The Styles and Fashions of Masonry

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Meet the California Masons tailoring their own outstanding looks and shaking up what it means to be dressed for lodge.

Donor Profile: Mark Matchynski

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In San Diego, one newly raised Mason became a Foundation donor in less than a year.

A Closer Look at the Master’s Top Hat

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A closer look at the Master’s top hat: A sign of status, a nod to the past, or just a clever way to block the sun?

The Rise of the Masonic Polo

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An open collar with no tie at lodge would have invited side glances in years past, but today, polos prevail.

The Massive, Invisible Impact of Everyday Masonic Charity

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A celebration of the pancake breakfasts, the blood drives, the Teacher of the Year dinners—and the million other ways Masons give back.

Donor Profile: G. Michael Arnold

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Meet G. Michael Arnold of the Midnight Mission on building his community daily.

How Masonic Relief Boards Provided Support for 100 Years

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For more than a century, California Masons supported one another—and brothers from around the world—through a vast network of boards of relief.

Friends of Friends: Meet the Masons Extending Our Reach

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Meet the California Masons putting Masonic philanthropy into practice through like-minded community organizations.

Whether in Lodge or at a Soup Kitchen, a Chance for Masons to Give Back

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Masons want to give back. Now the Grand Lodge of California, through its Keystone Initiative, is working to help them do just that.

How California Masons Brought Literacy into 1,000 Classrooms

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California Masons and Raising a Reader have brought their childhood literacy program to 1,000 classrooms around the state. That’s just the first chapter of their story.

The Masonic Map of San Francisco

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Mapping San Francisco’s historic—and current—Masonic meeting places.

Why a Masonic Bequest Was a Final “Act of Love”

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When it comes to leaving a gift for the California Masonic Foundation in a will or trust, it’s about more than money. It’s leaving a legacy.

The Center of It All

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East San Diego № 561 has made service to others paramount. For that, it is the 2025 Joe Jackson Award Recipient.

At the Rose Parade, Remembering the Masonic Floats of Yesteryear

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Remembering the most over-the-top Masonic floats from years past at the annual Tournament of Roses parade before the Rose Bowl.

The Mission Masonic Temple, a Splendid Survivor

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Hiding in plain sight on one of the city’s busiest blocks, the Mission Masonic Temple is a living link to the area’s wild and wooly past.

At Fidelity No. 120, a Fraternal Home for San Francisco’s Jewish Masons

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For more than a century, Fidelity No. 120 was home to a robust Jewish membership.