Craftsmen’s Chronicles

Craftsmen’s Chronicles is an effort to capture and memorialize the thoughts, stories, and remembrances of our Masonic Brethren for posterity. As our ancient Operative ancestors built glorious cathedrals upon foundations of stone, so too are the Lodges of Speculative Freemasonry built upon foundations of the experiences and efforts of our most-senior Brothers. Although we are advised in Ritual to seek out these Brothers so that we might learn from them and hear their stories, we too-often fail in this task. And, in failing we lose their singular experiences and reminiscences… forever.

In order to preserve their knowledge, memories, experiences, and advice, Craftsmen’s Chronicles will endeavor to create a database of their recorded history, their singular chronicle, so that it might be preserved for posterity. We need your help to act as facilitators and be the portal through which our Brothers provide their stories. Facilitators will seek those brothers from within their Lodges and Districts and encourage them to offer their voices. Your Brothers at Craftsmen Online will work with you on the technical aspects and suggested lines of discussion, but where the conversation goes, will be entirely up to you and the Brother being interviewed.

Below is an example of a moment of Masonic History shared by MW Edward R. Trosin during our Masonic Talk on History Remembered, recorded on November 18, 2020.

Until pandemic restrictions are eased, we will restrict the project to virtual interviews and utilize our Zoom platform for hosting and recording these conversations. Alternatively, a willing Brother may choose to create his own audio or videotape in the privacy of his home and then provide a copy to the project. Upon the pandemic’s end, we will be able to meet with the Brothers at their home or in Lodge and conduct the interview in a more personal setting.

Once a sufficient number of recorded histories are submitted and thereafter edited, we anticipate compiling a series of collected works for future broadcast. The unedited versions will be further posted on this page for all to view.