Rocky J. Squirrel Presents
GEMS+H:
The Stories That Bind Us
Missouri Lodge of Research — Another Avenue for Masonic Scholarship
My Masonic journey has taught me that there is always another story to uncover, another question to ask, and another source waiting to be explored. My membership in the Missouri Lodge of Research gives me another avenue for doing exactly that.
The Missouri Lodge of Research has a long tradition of studying, preserving, and sharing the history of Freemasonry. Chartered by the Grand Lodge of Missouri on September 30, 1941, the Lodge was established under the direction of Most Worshipful Brother Harry S. Truman—long before his presidency would make his name familiar around the world. Truman's connection to the Lodge is still reflected in its Truman Lecture series and in the organization's continuing emphasis on Masonic education and research.
What makes the Missouri Lodge of Research particularly interesting to me is that its work extends well beyond one jurisdiction. Its members come together around a shared interest in Masonic history, research, and education, creating another opportunity to learn from the work of Masonic scholars and from the historical resources they uncover.
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Learning Through Membership
One of the benefits of membership is receiving the Lodge's annual publication—a book selected or published to advance Masonic knowledge and scholarship. One of my first opportunities to experience that benefit came through The Imperfect Storm by Steven L. Harrison, the Lodge's 2024 publication. The book examines the Morgan Affair, the 1826 disappearance of William Morgan, and the Anti-Masonic movement that followed. The Missouri Lodge of Research describes the work as bringing new information, clues, and answers to one of the most controversial episodes in American Masonic history.
Receiving the book was especially meaningful because I had received the book in the mail shortly before I went to Indianapolis which was the host of the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education. One of the speakers I heard was Steven L. Harrison speak about the Morgan Affair. Hearing the author discuss the research behind the subject—and then being able to take his book and having him autograph was definitely a highlight. This book I had received through my membership in the Missouri Lodge of Research—created a connection between Masonic education, scholarship, and my own growing research interests.
That is one of the things I value most about organizations like the Missouri Lodge of Research. A book is not simply a book. A lecture is not simply a lecture. Each can become the starting point for another question, another discovery, or another story worth preserving.
A Tradition of Masonic Research
The Missouri Lodge of Research has been producing and distributing Masonic scholarship for generations. Its published works include studies of Missouri Freemasonry, Masonic biographies, the history of the Craft, and research into individual Masons and Masonic organizations.
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The Lodge also maintains a library and research collection and supports the preservation and dissemination of Masonic literature. Its work reflects an idea that has become increasingly important to me through my own involvement in GEMS+H:
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History only remains alive when someone takes the time to preserve it, study it, and share it.
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My membership in the Missouri Lodge of Research gives me another connection to that larger Masonic tradition of scholarship. While my involvement with the Ohio Lodge of Research has provided opportunities for me to present my own research and serve in leadership, the Missouri Lodge of Research gives me another perspective and another community of Masons devoted to learning.
From One Research Path to Another
I see the Missouri Lodge of Research as another branch of the same journey that has taken me from genealogy and American history into Masonic research and education.
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The questions may begin in different places—a family connection, an old document, a Masonic story, or a book—but they often lead to the same place: a desire to understand the past more fully and to share what has been discovered with others.
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That is what makes my membership meaningful to me.
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It is another avenue for exploring Masonic history.
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Another opportunity to learn from those who have done the research before me.
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And another way to continue the search for stories worth preserving.
Watch the Presentation
The Missouri Lodge of Research has made educational presentations available through its website and YouTube presence. The presentation below offers another opportunity to see the kind of Masonic education and historical scholarship that the Lodge makes available to its members and the wider Masonic community.
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Explore GEMS+H
The stories don't stop here. Explore the other parts of GEMS+H and discover more of the people, history, education, and connections that bring these stories together.
