Mt. Moriah Masonic Lodge #51 AF&AM

10/10/2025

“And like the Ashlar, I will always allow the Craft to shape me, until my final stone is set.”

Brother Corey Judd’s reflection in the latest Illinois Freemasonry Magazine is a powerful reminder of how the Craft transforms us—from fear and doubt to confidence and purpose.

Discover his story, From Darkness to Light, and explore more inspiring features in the newest issue.

Read the full article at the link in the comments.

09/25/2025

09/24/2025

When Masons stop showing up, the ritual fades, the wisdom is lost, and the bond that makes this Brotherhood different from any other begins to unravel. But when Brothers return, really return, the Lodge becomes what it’s meant to be: a place of Light, strength, and transformation. A place where men become better together.

We don’t just need warm bodies. We need engaged hearts, active minds, and willing hands. The world needs more Masons in action. That starts in the Lodge.

If nobody shows up for Lodge or degrees, Freemasonry dies in that place.

Rituals stop. Degrees can’t be conferred. The traditions, lessons, and teachings stall out.

New Masons aren’t made. Without active Brothers, there’s no mentorship or growth

No one showing up means no one is there to pass it on.

The community loses something. The Lodge should be a pillar of integrity and service in the town or city it stands in. Without Brothers present, that influence vanishes.

Let us return to the Lodge and our working tools.

Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 51 meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Meal at 6:00 PM and the gavel falls at 7:30 PM.

09/24/2025

📖Wisdom Wednesday📖
Franklin’s Masonic Circle in Paris

When Benjamin Franklin arrived in Paris in 1776, he wasn’t just an American diplomat—he was a Freemason among Freemasons. His membership in La Loge des Neuf Sœurs (The Lodge of the Nine Sisters), a prominent Masonic lodge of the Grand Orient de France, connected him to France’s intellectual and political elite. Established in 1776, the lodge attracted Enlightenment thinkers and revolutionaries, including Voltaire, who was initiated in 1778 with Franklin assisting in his initiation .

Through these Masonic ties, Franklin forged alliances with key figures such as Marquis de Lafayette, a fellow Mason and ardent supporter of the American cause, and Jacques-Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont, a philanthropist who provided substantial financial and material support to the American Revolution . These connections were instrumental in securing French assistance for the American colonies, culminating in the critical support at the Battle of Yorktown.

Franklin’s Masonic affiliations not only facilitated diplomatic success but also exemplified how shared values of liberty, equality, and fraternity can transcend borders and foster international cooperation.

09/24/2025

🔹 Tradition Tuesday 🔹

This week we honor the traditions of U.S. Military Masonic Lodges, a unique part of our nation’s Masonic story.

The earliest American military lodges were chartered during the Revolutionary War. Grand Lodges in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia issued traveling warrants so regiments of the Continental Army could meet in lodge. One famous example is American Union Lodge No. 1, chartered in 1776 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, which accompanied the Continental Army throughout the war and counted officers and soldiers among its members.

Military lodges continued through America’s history:

• During the War of 1812, regimental lodges were known to meet in camp, preserving fellowship in a time of hardship.

• In the Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops held military lodge meetings. Stories abound of Masons lowering their weapons to help a Brother, or granting Masonic burial rites even for men in opposing uniforms.

• In the World Wars, Masons in the armed forces often met informally overseas, and Grand Lodges extended dispensations for service members to keep the Craft alive on foreign soil.

Today, the tradition lives on through military-affiliated lodges near bases and posts, as well as special lodges such as American Canadian Grand Lodge (founded after WWII for U.S. servicemen in Germany), which continue to serve those in uniform.

The history of military Masonry in the United States reminds us that, wherever duty calls, the Light of the Craft goes with us sustaining fellowship, virtue, and brotherhood even in times of war.

09/20/2025

🔹 Service Saturday, Brethren 🔹

Today we celebrate the heart of Freemasonry: service. Whether it’s helping a neighbor, supporting a local family, or lifting a brother in need, every act of kindness builds the light of our lodge and our community.

Let’s use this Saturday to remember that our work in Masonry extends beyond these walls—it’s in every good deed we do.

Mt. Moriah Masonic Lodge #51

09/18/2025

Tradition Thursday: The Apron 🏛️

Today we reflect on one of Masonry’s most recognizable and meaningful traditions: the lambskin apron. Worn by every Brother, it is more than cloth; it is a symbol older than the Golden Fleece, older than worldly titles, older than honors that fade.

The apron reminds us that true distinction comes not from wealth or power, but from purity of life and conduct. Each time we don it, we recommit to living uprightly, working faithfully, and walking honorably in the world.

In the Lodge, it marks us as Brothers. In life, it calls us to action: to be honest in our dealings, generous in our service, and steadfast in our principles. Tradition teaches that this simple badge carries a profound message — one that transcends time and guides every Mason who wears it.

09/18/2025

Stated Meeting!
Meal at 6:00 PM, Gavel Falls at 7:30 PM
Thursday, September 18th
Mt. Moriah Masonic Lodge #51
903 S. Main St., Hillsboro, IL 62049

09/18/2025

Wednesday Wisdom from a Brother 📜

Brethren,
As we pass through the middle of the week, let us take inspiration from one of our most distinguished Brothers, Benjamin Franklin. A man of science, letters, and public service, Franklin embodied the Masonic pursuit of wisdom.

He once wrote: “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

Franklin’s life reminds us that Masonry is not only about ritual and Lodge meetings, but about applying our principles in daily living — cultivating knowledge, practicing virtue, and using our talents to serve society.

As Masons, we are called to labor not only on our own character, but to leave the world better than we found it. Let us, then, walk in the footsteps of wise Brothers before us, balancing labor with learning, and wisdom with action.