SHORT TALK BULLETIN INDEX

Vol. XX No. 12 — December 1942

Twenty Years

With this issue The Short Talk Bulletin completes its twentieth volume. Two hundred and forty Short Talk Bulletins have been published, all but less than a dozen of which are still in print.

The original idea, a monthly offering to lodges of an informative, interesting, and sufficiently complete talk on a Masonic subject which would give a good idea of the subject treated, was proposed by the late great William L. Eagleton, past grand master of Oklahoma, then a member of the Executive Commission of the Masonic Service Association.

Great as was his vision, it is doubtful that it encompassed what this publication has become; the largest and best collection of Masonic addresses to be found anywhere. Covering the whole field of Freemasonry; law, jurisprudence, symbolism, history, accomplishments, charity, curiosities, relief, inspiration, philosophy, ethics, any speaker may here find an address on the subject he desires to cover.

Great Masons have contributed to these pages; brethren who have given their best to the Masonic world in these little papers; brothers who wrote by the lamp of inspiration and service. Among them are the late Jacob Hugo Tatsch; E. G. Williams, of Iowa; Howard Cruse, P.G.M., New Jersey, and R W. and Reverend Joseph Fort Newton who has written more of the Bulletins than any other contributor except the present editor. As a matter of record it may be chronicled that the present executive secretary of the Masonic Service Association has written 189 of the 240 Bulletins.

A few titles may appear as duplications: “G” and The Letter “G”; The Masonic Service Association and Masonic Service Association; Apron and Lambskin Apron, for instance. When “G” went out of print The Letter “G” took its place, with a different treatment of the same subject. The two Bulletins on The Masonic Service Association were years apart in pubheation; when the older one became no longer correctly informative, a new one was written. A new Bulletin on the Apron was provided when the earlier was out of print.

But 99% of the Bulletins do not duplicate any previous offering.

The pubheation is sent free to every lodge in a grand lodge which is a member of the Association. Subscriptions for individuals are still but 60 cents yearly, the original price set twenty years ago. The pubheation is to be looked at from an educational, not a monetary standpoint, since cost of production greatly exceeds the nominal price charged.

In earlier days a somewhat larger surplus was printed than is now essential. From these extra Bulletins grew the “bargain packages” of ninety Bulletins, all different, for $3.00, and twenty-five Bulletins, all different, for $1.00. Because of the low price and the fact that these “bargain packages” represent surplus stock, no selection is possible; brethren get what they find in the package, knowing in advance only that all will be different.

It is impossible to evaluate the worth of these papers since for many years to come they will be available to Freemasons not yet made, to men not yet born. The two and one half million which have been printed inevitably must have greatly stimulated sincere Masonic thought and carried authentic Masonic knowledge to many.

In Masonic libraries maintained by grand lodges and in private libraries are many complete sets. When peace shall come and more emphasis maybe put upon things of the mind and spirit and less upon those of battle and victory, the Association hopes to reprint the few that are out of print, that complete sets may be assembled and placed in yet more lodge and grand lodge libraries.

Four years ago an attempt was made to classify the Bulletins so that speakers might the more readily find the subject upon which they desired light. Some Bulletins are easy to tag with a label; that which is history, that which tells of a curiosity, for instance, were simple enough to allocate to a class. But difficulties arose because of the fineness of the dividing line between some classifications. Inspiration, charity, ethics, religion, may and often have overlapped in the treatment given a subject which may as well be listed under one head as another.

Knowing that no scheme of classification can suit all, and that none can be perfect, the following is offered for what help it may be to students and speakers in locating the particular Bulletin of which they have need.

About Individuals

  1. Albert Gallatin Mackey
  2. Albert Pike
  3. Anthony Sayer, Gentleman
  4. Benjamin Franklin, Freemason
  5. Dedicating the Memorial
  6. Desauguliers
  7. Doolittle Pictures
  8. Facts for Speakers about Washington
  9. Goethe, Freemason
  10. Harding, Freemason
  11. Hiram Abif
  12. Lafayette
  13. Our Masonic Presidents
  14. Paul Revere
  15. Robert Burns
  16. Seven Great Masons
  17. Thomas Smith Webb
  18. Where was Lafayette Made a Mason?
  19. William Preston

Body of the Craft

  1. Ahiman Rezon
  2. Art of Presiding
  3. Black Cube
  4. Candidate
  5. Clandestine
  6. Dignity of Freemasonry
  7. Enlightening the Profane
  8. Foundations of Masonic Law
  9. Grand Lodge
  10. Grand Masters’ Powers
  11. Guardians of the Gates
  12. Honors from the Craft
  13. “I Vouch for Him”
  14. Increasing lodge Attendance
  15. Innovations
  16. Jurisdictional Contrasts
  17. “Knock and It Shall Be Opened”
  18. Laws of Masonry
  19. Letter Perfect
  20. Lewis and Loveateau
  21. Lodge
  22. Lodge and Grand Lodge Organization
  23. Lodge Courtesies
  24. Lodge Finances
  25. Many Men, Many Minds
  26. Masonic Honors
  27. Masonic Offense
  28. Masonic World
  29. Master
  30. Mother Lodge
  31. Mummies
  32. My Part
  33. My Son
  34. Nine Questions
  35. Nine More Questions
  36. Old Order Changeth
  37. Past Master
  38. "Perfect Youth” Doctrine
  39. Petition
  40. Powers of the Master
  41. Refreshment
  42. Ritual Differences
  43. Secrecy
  44. “Seek and Ye Shall Find”
  45. Sugar Coating Masonic Education
  46. Summons
  47. Tell the World
  48. Unaffiliated
  49. Visiting Brother
  50. Well Balanced
  51. What Can I Do?
  52. What Do You Know About Masonry?
  53. What To Tell Your Wife
  54. What’s in a Name?

Civic and Patriotic

  1. Bill of Rights and Freemasonry
  2. Constitution and Freemasonry
  3. Flag in Lodge
  4. Fourth of July
  5. Freemasonry and Totalitarianism
  6. Guns of ’76
  7. Mason as a Citizen
  8. Masonic Welfare Work with the Armed Forces
  9. Masonry and Politics
  10. Masonry and Publicity
  11. Masonry in Business
  12. Mason’s Flag
  13. Our Public Schools
  14. Red
  15. Reputation of the Fraternity
  16. Right Hand of Fellowship
  17. “Stars of Glory”
  18. Your Unknown Soldier

Curiosities of Freemasonry

  1. “Doric Lodge”
  2. Making a Mason at Sight
  3. Masonic Goat
  4. Master’s Hat
  5. Menagerie of Masonry
  6. Unknown Mason
  7. Women Freemasons

Historical

  1. Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
  2. Baltimore Convention
  3. Book of Constitutions
  4. Charges of a Freemason
  5. Four Crowned Ones
  6. Free and Accepted
  7. Freemasonry’s Monument
  8. From Whence Came We?
  9. How We Grew
  10. Legend of the Lost Word
  11. Masonic Blue
  12. Masonic History Dry?
  13. Masonic Population
  14. Masonic Service Association (11-24)
  15. Masonic Service Association (2-39)
  16. Master’s Piece
  17. Military Lodges
  18. Morgan Affair
  19. Mother Grand Lodge, I, II, III
  20. National
  21. Old Romance
  22. Recognized Foreign Grand Lodges
  23. Relics
  24. St. Johns’ Days
  25. Seeing
  26. Seven Famous Lodges
  27. Short Talk Bulletin
  28. Six Masonic War Tales
  29. “Small” Grand Lodges
  30. Twenty Years
  31. Universality
  32. Valley Forge
  33. Westward, Ho!
  34. Will Freemasonry Survive?

Inspiration and Charity

  1. Charity
  2. Enemy Within
  3. Erring Brother
  4. Every Brother His Own Tiler
  5. “Foreign Countries”
  6. Future of Masonry
  7. Gifts of the Magi
  8. Good of the Order
  9. Great Cornerstone
  10. "Greatest of These”
  11. Inn of Year’s End
  12. Master’s Wages
  13. Mystery
  14. Mystic Tie
  15. Power and the Glory
  16. Quo Vadis, Freemasonry?
  17. Roll Call
  18. Secret
  19. Shekinah
  20. Small Songs
  21. Sound of the Gavel
  22. Spirit of Masonry
  23. Sublime
  24. Swaddling Clothes
  25. T.B.
  26. “Three Things I Know”
  27. United Masonic Relief
  28. What?
  29. What Is Masonry?
  30. What Masonry Means
  31. Wonder of Masonry

Religion and Ethics

  1. Acacia Leaves and Easter Lilies
  2. Altar of Memory
  3. At Midnight
  4. Cradle and the Lodge
  5. Faith, Progress, and Reward
  6. Freedom of Faith
  7. Freedom of Faith
  8. Freemasonry’s Answer to Job
  9. Holy Bible
  10. Inside, Looking Out
  11. Masonry and Religion
  12. Masonry in the Great Light
  13. So Mote It Be
  14. Stupid Atheist
  15. Three Scripture Readings
  16. “Thus Saith the Lord”
  17. To Sympathise
  18. Treasures of Inheritance
  19. Truth
  20. Unknown Builders

Symbols and Symbolism

  1. All-Seeing Eye
  2. Altar
  3. Ancient Square
  4. Apron
  5. Cabletow
  6. Compasses
  7. Corn, Wine and Oil
  8. Corner-Stone
  9. Due Form
  10. Five Points
  11. Forty-Seventh Problem
  12. “G"
  13. Gavel of Authority
  14. Gloves
  15. Hour Glass and Scythe
  16. “Illustrated by Symbols”
  17. Lambskin Apron
  18. Language of the Heart
  19. Left to Right
  20. Lesser Lights
  21. Letter G
  22. Level and Plumb
  23. Masonic Geometry
  24. Mathematics
  25. More Light
  26. Northeast Corner
  27. Passages of Jordan
  28. Point Within A Circle
  29. Pot of Incense
  30. Rite of Destitution
  31. Rite of Discalceation
  32. Rough and Perfect
  33. Ruffians
  34. Signs
  35. Sprig of Acacia Square
  36. Sun, Moon and Stars
  37. Sword in the Craft
  38. Symbolism
  39. Third Great Light
  40. 3-5-7
  41. Three Grand Columns
  42. Three Principal Rounds
  43. Thy Neighbor’s Landmark
  44. Time
  45. Tools
  46. Trestleboard and Tracing Board
  47. Truly Prepared
  48. Twenty-Four Inch Gauge
  49. Two Pillars
  50. Wardens
  51. “Well Informed Brethren”
  52. “Why” of Initiation
  53. Winding Stairs
  54. “Windlass and Rope”

The Masonic Service Association of North America