Issue Date: September 9, 1959
City:  Los Angeles, California
Quantity: Unknown
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method:  Rotary Press
Perforations:  10 Vertically
Color:  Gray blue

U.S. #1056 Stamp features one of the first major battles of the Revolutionary War – the Battle of Bunker Hill. A 221-foot monument rises above the battlefield – the first major engagement between British and Colonial forces.

The first monument to the battle was an 18-foot-tall wooden pillar with an urn. It was built in 1794 by King Solomon’s Lodge of Masons in honor of Dr. Joseph Warren, a prominent Colonial figure slain in the battle. The current monument was built in 1842.

Battle of Bunker Hill Fought on Breed’s Hill

This historic battle is actually misnamed. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought between British forces under General William Howe and New England militiamen under General Israel Putnam and Colonel William Prescott on June 17, 1775. When the Americans received intelligence that the British intended to capture certain strategic heights outside Boston, General Artemus Ward ordered the fortification of Bunker Hill. Inexplicably, the forces under his command took position on nearby Breed’s Hill. After several hours of bloody fighting the Americans were dislodged. But the British paid a high price: 228 were dead and 826 were wounded – 42 percent of their total strength.

The post U.S. #1056 1959 Bunker Hill Monument Liberty Series Coil Stamp appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

The post What was Masonry like in Boston during Colonial times? appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

For it isn’t what
we own or buy
that signifies
our wealth.

It’s the special
gifts that have
no price:
our family,
friends and health.

The post Happy Thanksgiving appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

When a person dies suddenly, tragically, especially in the “prime of life”, we tend to frame their life in those final moments.

We can all name such people: John F. Kennedy, Amelia Earhart, the victims of September 11th. These are our heroes. Such a man was Joseph Warren.

Who was Dr Joseph Warren?

Joseph Warren was, undoubtedly, the hero of Bunker Hill, and by dying on that hill that June day in 1775; he became the embodiment of the young nation’s sacrifice. The question remains; how do we separate the hero from the man? How did Joseph Warren, physician, find himself on that fated hill just six days after his 34th birthday?

Joseph Warren was born in Roxbury, MA on June 11, 1741, the eldest of four sons of Joseph Warren, a farmer, who died after falling out of an apple tree. Joseph, Jr. would attend Harvard, teach briefly at the Latin School and then study to be a physician (as his mother’s father had been). He married Elizabeth Hooten on 6 September 1764. Elizabeth brought as her dowry a considerable fortune she had inherited.

Joseph Warren the Revolutionary

Dr. Warren began his participation in the radical cause in 1767, with the passage of the Townsend Acts. Warren’s response was a series of articles in the Boston Gazette under the pseudonym “A True Patriot”. These articles so angered the royal governor that he attempted to charge Warren and the publishers of the newspaper with libel, but the grand jury refused to bring forth a true bill.

After the publishing of the articles, Warren’s star began to rise in the radical circles. His friendship with Samuel Adams as well as family ties with James Otis (his brother-in-law) and Masonic connection with Paul Revere and other rebel luminaries would put him in the thick of the separatist movement. Warren would become chairman of the Committee of Safety after the Boston Massacre of 1770 and would deliver two of the famous orations on the anniversaries of that event.

While Samuel Adams was away in Philadelphia in 1774, attending to the business of the Continental Congress, Joseph Warren assumed Adam’s leadership role in Boston and became involved with the raising of militias and procurement of arms and powder. A few months later Adams and John Hancock would return to Massachusetts to find the Crown had placed a price on their heads. It was Joseph Warren, who would direct Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the two leaders that British soldiers were heading toward their sanctuary in Lexington, MA to arrest them on 18 April 1775.

Warren After the Lexington Green

The news of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord would cause Warren to leave his patients in the care of his assistant, William Eustis, and ride toward the scene of battle. He would spend the next six weeks readying the militia for the inevitable battles to come. For his efforts, he was elected the second general in command of the Massachusetts forces by the Provincial Congress on 14 June 1775.

After meeting with the committee of safety at General Artemas Ward’s headquarters on Cambridge Common on the morning of 17 June, Warren learned that British forces had landed at Charlestown. About noon, he rode over to the American fortifications on Breed’s Hill.

The Legend of Joseph Warren

The rest is the stuff of legends: Warren refused to take command, instead going into the line as a regular volunteer. On the third and final British assault near the redoubt, while attempting to rally the militia, Warren was instantly killed by a ball between the eyes. The men that Warren had rallied in those last moments were a spectrum of Massachusetts society: merchants, farmers, mechanics, laborers; red men, black men, white men, both slave and free; all fighting for their freedom.  How ironic that the leader was a slave owner.

Joseph Warren’s Legacy

The British forces, upon taking the field, placed Warren’s body in a common mass grave. His remains were later identified by Paul Revere, who identified him by the set of false teeth he had fashioned for him.

Joseph Warren became an instant hero. His death was immortalized in John Trumbull’s painting; “The Death of General Warren” King Solomon’s Lodge honored their Grand Master with the first Bunker Hill Monument, which now resides in the base of the present monument. Every New England state has a town named in his honor. In death, he was a hero, his life cut tragically short, and his potential unknown.

He left four small children orphaned (their mother had died in April 1773), whose welfare remained in dire straits until 1778, when General Benedict Arnold (who had befriended Warren at Cambridge) gave $500 for their education and petitioned Congress for the amount of a major –general’s half pay for their welfare until the youngest reached majority.

In the course of just a decade, Dr. Joseph Warren married, fathered four children, furthered the revolutionary movement in Boston, and died a hero’s death. Perhaps, Edna St. Vincent Millay could have been speaking of Joseph Warren when she wrote, “My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes and oh, my friends, it gives a lovely light!”

The post Doctor Joseph Warren appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

Freemasonry (often simplified to “Masonry”) enhances and strengthens the character of the individual man by providing opportunities for fellowship, charity, education, and leadership based on the three ancient Masonic tenets: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Massachusetts Freemasonry is a crowning legacy of this venerable heritage as we strive to “make good men better.”

Fellowship

By attending Masonic Lodge meetings and learning from your fellow Masons, you’ll strengthen the bonds of fellowship as you join together with like-minded men who share ideals of both a moral and metaphysical nature. You’ll enjoy the friendship of other Masons in the community, and you’ll be welcomed as a “brother” by Masons everywhere in the world. Freemasonry also promises that should you ever be overtaken by misfortune, sickness, or adversity through no fault of your own, the hands of our great fraternity will be stretched forth to aid and assist you.

Charity

From its earliest days, charity has been the most visible Masonic activity. Freemasons have always been devoted to caring for disadvantaged children, the sick and the elderly. In fact, Masons in North America give away approximately $3 million to national and local charities each day, of which more than 70% is directed toward the general public. Masons are also actively involved in a great deal of community volunteer work.

Education

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts has advocated the education of its members since its earliest years. Its ceremonies provide instruction to all members, supplemented by various other activities such as seminars, lectures, workshops, and reading. Because Freemasonry is an esoteric society, certain aspects of its work are not generally disclosed to the public. Freemasonry uses an initiatory system of degrees to explore ethical and philosophical issues, and the system is less effective if the observer knows beforehand what will happen. It is described in Masonic craft ritual as “a beautiful system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.”

Leadership

Freemasonry offers its members leadership opportunities at the lodge, District, and Grand Lodge level. As Freemasons progress through the Craft, they discover different aspects of themselves and develop a range of skills that even they might not have known they possessed. By developing leadership techniques that fit their personality, Masons unlock the door to their full potential.

(“Grand Lodge of Massachusetts”, 2012.)

The post What is Freemasonry? appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

“The 2012 Spring Open House is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about Freemasonry to meet and talk with Masons in their community,” said Richard J. Stewart, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts and the presiding officer of 36,000 members. “Although many have heard of us, very few are aware that for over 275 years we have been part of an unbroken tradition of great men who have changed our world in ways both big and small. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thurgood Marshall, and John Glenn, for example, all joined the Masons prior to achieving the greatness we recognize them for. There are countless other great men, whose names are not widely known, that made their families, workplaces, and communities better because they were Masons. I warmly invite the public to join us on February 25.”

The post February 25, 2012, Open House to Enlighten, Educate, and Inform appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

The new year is rapidly approaching and as such, we plan our traditional New year’s Eve parties. Bringing in the new year with good food, music, prayer, hugging and kissing; grateful and thankful to be in good company during this special time as we usher in a fresh new year full of possibilities and potential.

Countdown to the new year begins at 10 seconds before midnight, then as the clock strikes 12:00, it’s time to share your rendition of the classic traditional song, “Auld Lang Syne” The only problem that can exist now is the possibility that you might not know or remember all the lyrics or words to the song, since it’s not a tune that is sung on a regular basis throughout the year.

Below you will find the lyrics for this traditional favorite in the English Translation (minimalist). I included a few interesting facts concerning this wonderful old song. I hope knowing the words to “Auld Lang Syne” in advance of the festivities, will help you to enjoy your New Year celebration even more.

“Auld Lang Syne” English Translation (minimalist)

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne ?

 CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !

and surely I’ll buy mine !

And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine ;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

 CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine† ;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

 CHORUS

Repeat

Happy New Year Form the Officers and Members of King Solomon’s Lodge

The post Happy New Year appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

The post Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

King Solomon’s has and continues to thrive for nearly 228 years.  With a young line, and many young brothers joining the fraternity, King Solomon’s Lodge membership is continuously growing.

Granted this is in part, due to the great leadership that brought us thus far in our history. Needless to say the current leadership has been well seasoned by the previous leaders of King Solomon’s Lodge.  Great knowledge of history and wisdom is being kept within the walls of our lode but most importantly within the 228 years of existence, the records as well as our archives reflect that.  I have added something new for you to read, new to us but dating back to 1850…

“On September 7, 1850 the members of the lodge attended the funeral of Worshipful Brother Dexter Bowman, who presided over the lodge for eleven (11) years, from 1827 to 1837, inclusive. This was the period of the anti-Masonic agitation, when it was not only unpopular to be known as a member of the craft, but also dangerous to acknowledge it openly. In 1832 the anti-Masons had nominated a candidate for the presidency, which carried one state, Vermont in the election. During all that period Worshipful Master Bowman regularly opened and closed his lodge, although many other lodges throughout the country surrendered their charters and went out of existence. At some of his meetings, however, the attendance was at a minimum”, (Records of King Solomon’s Lodge 2011).

Just a little bit of information about our lodge and the dedication of the members whose example we follow, thus a great leadership is in place…

With that said King Solomon’s Lodge wishes one and all a very Merry Christmas, happy Hanukah, happy Kwanzaa, and a Happy New Year, to one and all throughout…

The post A Walk Down Memory Lane appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..

October also included the lodge’s semi-annual open house.  The event, held on Saturday October 15, 2011, opened our doors to the public.  On display were some of the lodge’s historic implements and tools – including various pieces of lodge regalia from the time of Paul Revere (he was the Junior Grand Warden of Grand Lodge at the time of our Charter thereby signing our charter as the Junior Grand Warden of Grand lodge Of Massachusetts).  Lodge members were on hand to answer questions from attendees.  Those visiting the lodge included curious members of the neighborhood, along with potential future Masons.  The event was a success, with the lodge receiving three new applications for membership.  After being voted upon, our three potential brothers will begin their degree work in December 2011.  Anyone wishing to tour the lodge may visit an open house or arrange for a tour by contacting lodge Secretary Donald Norton at 617-417-3422.

November promises to be just as eventful for King Solomon’s Lodge.  We will be raising yet another master mason during a third-degree ceremony on Thursday November 17, 2011.  In addition, the lodge’s Trowel Club (an offshoot of our lodge that sponsors social gatherings) will be hosting a Monday Night Football night at the lodge on November 21, 2011.  This night promises to be a blast as the hometown Patriots take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a game with definite playoff implications.  Trowel Club meetings are not exclusive to masons.  Anyone interested in attending should contact the lodge at 617-592-0785.  This is a great way to get to know some of the brothers in the lodge in an informal setting.  All would be happy to enjoy a night of football and refreshments, and answer any questions about freemasonry in general or King Solomon’s Lodge specifically.

The post KING SOLOMON’S LODGE – OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER UPDATE appeared first on King Solomon's Lodge, A.F. & A.M..