- a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer of the uniformed services of the United States,
- a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the uniformed services of the United States, (E5, 6 & 7 prior to 1958 - E7, 8 & 9 as of 1958),
- have served in time of war as a Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer or the equivalent in an armed service of a nation allied with the United States,
- or are regularly elected to Honorary Membership.
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NATIONAL SOJOURNERS, INC.
SERVING AMERICA
National
Sojourners, Inc., is a national fraternal organization meeting the needs of
military Masons and advancing programs that promote love of country.
Membership in National Sojourners is open to citizens of the United States who are Master Masons in good standing in a duly constituted Lodge of Master Masons recognized by and maintaining fraternal relations with a majority of the Regular Grand Lodges in the United States and who are serving or have served honorably as;
Additional membership information can be obtained from Area Representatives, or from the National Office.
A Brief History: Although the term "sojourner" is common in Freemasonry, it takes on new meaning under the aegis of National Sojourners, Inc. This Order, founded to meet the needs of the Military Mason in war and peace, has as one of its precepts the words of George Washington, who once said:”When one assumes the soldier, he does not lay aside the citizen. “The Order traces its origin to the time when the North Dakota Regiment departed the Philippines taking with it the Field Lodge Dispensation which had filled the needs of Masons while they were there. In its place a club of Masonic “sojourners” was formed. In 1901 sixteen of these “Sojourners,” representing 13 Grand jurisdictions, demitted from their home Lodges and were granted a Lodge Charter by the Grand Lodge of California. Of course, by instituting a formal Blue Lodge, they negated their purpose for being and, therefore, ceased to exist. In 1913, Surgeon Capt. Harry Eugene Stafford, 33°, Chartering Master of the Manila Lodge which replaced the “Sojourners Club,” became the first Grand Master of the new Grand Lodge of the Philippines.
The idea for a sojourners club to serve the needs of displaced military Masons revived, however, when , in 1917, a group of Masonic Military Officers met in the Hamilton Club in Chicago. They agreed that, in the absence of the Military Lodges of earlier times, there was a need for a national Masonic organization which would serve the requirements of Masonic Brethren from various parts of the country who were thrown together by virtue of their military service. The Order they started grew rapidly, from a 15-man club in 1917 to a national corporation in 1927 with membership then approaching 20,000.The purposes of National Sojourners, Inc., affirm their responsibilities to Brother Masons, the Masonic Fraternity, and the nation. Sojourners traditionally sponsor and coach most military personnel petitioning for Masonic membership, thus providing a bridge between the local military and the Masonic Lodges. Sojourner efforts are directed toward Americanism and support of Masonic programs and policies. Americanism activities include patriotic ceremonies, speeches, presentations, and other actions intended to promote love of country with special emphasis on the youth of the nation. National Sojourners, Inc., sponsors varied programs such as the following.
Flag Programs
Throughout the Order, several historical and patriotic flag programs have been developed. One, in particular, had a Scottish Rite genesis.
A member of the National Sojourners Chapter in El Paso, Texas, Hubert L. Koker, 32°, K.. C.. C.. H.., was chairman of a Scottish Rite committee tasked to prepare an Americanism program for presentation to the El Paso Scottish Rite Valley. He developed a program in which the American Flag was built, stripe by stripe and star by star with a narration giving the state or states admitted to the Union with the addition of each stripe and star. Another Brother, who was also a member of both the El Paso Scottish Rite and National Sojourners, saw the program and understood immediately the full significance of what he had seen. After getting proper permission, he brought the program to National Sojourners, Inc. The rest, as they say, is history.
The program was refined again and again. More portable and reliable props were developed, and “Building the Flag” teams were formed throughout National Sojourners with their affiliated Order, The Heroes of ‘76, presenting it in colonial uniforms, often assisted by their ladies, also in colonial costume.This excellent patriotic and educational program has been performed thousands of times at schools as well as Masonic and non-Masonic gatherings of all kinds. It continues today as one of the most effective and popular patriotic programs yet invented.
A “Historical Flag Program’ was written by National Sojourner, Byron C. Jenkins, 32°, K..C..C..H.., of the Omaha, Nebraska, Scottish Rite Valley, for presentation during the U. S. Bicentennial celebration. Past Grand Master Jenkins’s program displays up to sixteen flags used by Americans from pre-Revolutionary times to the present.The presentation utilizes three or more “Heroes of ‘76” to display each full-size flag while a narrator gives the history of how the Masonic heroes who were serving under it contributed to our country’s birth, development, and fame.
The programs cited here barely scratch the surface of the service performed by National Sojourners, Inc. This small but capable group of American Masonic leaders quietly serves our country and Masonry every day through their efforts to raise the loyalty and pride of every American by eulogizing and emulating the Masonic builder-patriots who preceded them.
NATIONAL SOJOURNERS, INC.
8301 East Boulevard Drive
Alexandria, Virginia 22308-1399
U.S.A.
Phone: (703) 765-5000 FAX:(703) 765-8390
nationalsoj@juno.com
If you are a Sojourner, or a Sojourner's Lady, add your EMAIL address to the
registry by completing the Registry Form, or sending an email to
E-mail Update,
with your name, email address and chapter information.
See the registry
HERE.
Copyright © National Sojourners, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Article on Collingwood was reproduced by permission of the author.
This page is in compliance with Administrative Order 1-97
" PIETRE-STONES " |
