A Washington Post reporter gets the scoop on modern Freemasonry from the secret society's PR person, attends their rituals, and reports on the state of the Masons (they're not doing so hot). Don't miss the account of Seinfeld's Kramer taking the 33rd degree!
In Toronto, the Masonic Lodge was at 888 Yonge St, and was mostly used as a concert venue (I saw the Cramps and Violent Femmes there, and the Batte of the Bands scene at the end of Blues Brothers 2000 was shot there). The main hall had a mirrored section in the middle of the ceiling, and my conspiracy-nut friends maintained that the Masons would gather in the upper chamber around this area and absorb the psychic energy of the revellers below.
"Brethren of Temple Noyes Cathedral Lodge No. 32, behold your master!" Taylor says. "Worshipful Master, behold your brethren!"
Everybody cheers.
I think, Gee, that wasn't too bad. But it's not over. Not even close.
The master of ceremonies recites some ritual words, and then Taylor launches into some mumbo-jumbo: "Consider the great luminary of nature, which, rising in the east . . ."
Then Toossi performs his first official act as Worshipful Master: He reads the lodge charter.
It's a very long charter, written in 1907 and packed with archaic, bureaucratic language, and Toossi reads every word. As he drones on, the master of ceremonies yawns. A cell phone rings. From somewhere in the darkened room comes the sound of gentle snoring.
And there are still six more officers to be installed.
To be a Mason, I'm learning, requires a heroic ability to tolerate tedium.
