Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

I have had the honor of serving our gentle craft as an appointed or elected officer in our Grand Lodge for the past 24 years. During this time I have witnessed the best and worse in Masonry. I have seen brother against brother tearing down the foundation of their lodge in a futile attempt to raise themselves up at the expense of another’s reputation, feelings, and moral fiber. I have witnessed M.W. Brother Mike our Grand Master, R.W. Brother Cal our Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Brother O.B. our Senior Grand Warden, R.W. Brother Steve our Junior Grand Warden, and other Grand Lodge Officers sacrifice family time and journey across our state with a trowel in hand attempting to spread the mortar of reconciliation to the foundation of a lodge that had forsaken the tenants of Freemasonry. I have seen our Grand Secretary, M.W. Brother Jerry build bridges of reconciliation so a lodge could continue in the mission of Freemasonry, only to see the members isolated in vain glory tear down what took years to build. I have witnessed M.W. Brother Jack our Grand treasurer travel to assist lodges in matters of finance only to have them reject his wise counsel. In South Carolina, we are fortunate to have 12 living and active Past Grand Master's who continue to support their lodge and Grand Lodge. I have traveled with them and seen many of them travel because they were asked to attend in earnest hope to challenge, mentor, and support the craft. At one District’s Inspirational Meeting a member of our fraternity pushed and spit on a master mason and then stormed out of the meeting. His actions were unprovoked and our Grand Master at the time dealt with this situation accordingly. I have witnessed a Worshipful Master so determined to have a cornerstone laid during his year that an entire host would travel on Thanksgiving weekend to that lodge, and then only two of the Worshipful Master’s officer’s were present. I have seen our Grand Master M.W. Brother Mike travel to valleys in our Orient pleading with the leadership to set their differences aside, to find common ground and put the membership and Rite Care first. Only to see the criticism committee, reconvene with a quorum the moment he left the parking lot.  I have seen York Rite Masons, whom publically professed their Belief in Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior, spew venom and hatred before, during and after the degree work. I have witnessed Scottish Rite Mason’s hold on to a dollar so tightly that their hands seem to squeeze the ink from the paper, while our charities suffer. I have seen our Shrine Temple invite our Grand Master to a ceremonial, and then reserve him a room at his expense in a different hotel so they could indulge and freely break their obligations far from his view. I have witnessed members of our fraternity ruin the reputation of a mason for 14 months and then when confronted about their actions run and hide as a quarry slave with no backbone to file charges of un-masonic conduct in open lodge. There is a deluge of Masonic trials awaiting adjudication by Grand Lodge that compares to the Mueller's investigation with no end in sight. The best deterrent for masonic trials is to stop giving petitions to men who do not merit being a mason. Masonry is not for everyone, and the sooner we realize this fact we can get on with the purpose of masonry.

It is not easy to be a leader. When we serve you, we see the good and bad, but recently the bad has overshadowed the good because far too often when the Grand Lodge is called it is not in celebration, it is because of neglect, despair, and apathy on behalf of our membership. We are a band of brothers united by a lambskin or white leather apron. Just because you join and travel in Appendant Bodies seeking further light your foundation must be in the blue lodge. Brethren your Grand Lodge needs your help! Far too many masons have forgotten that there is a Santa Claus, and that our fraternity has helped Saint Nick since 1616. Christmas is more than one day a year, it is a spirit, a state of mind, a willingness to put others first. Perhaps if we remember what Virginia learned one hundred and twenty-one years ago, many would return to the teaching of masonry.

From the New York Sun News Paper Tuesday 21^st, 1897

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN (News Paper) it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.  
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."



“VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little.
In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus? It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”
The time has come that each of us remembers the true spirit of Christmas. Let us unite as Santa Claus’s helpers to once again spread the good news, help others less fortunate, reach out to our brothers when they stumble, and spread the mortar of brotherly love, relief and truth.
So tonight brethren I would like to say, Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and sometimes he dawns a Red Fez, or an Apron from the Chapter or Council. Sometimes he dawns a Red Cap or kirtle as a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor. Sometimes he is a shining Knight in his Commandery Uniform. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and in neighborhoods, all around the world, he puts on a lambskin or white leather apron in the service of humanity. So Virginia if in the pilgrimage of your future you find yourself once again surrounded in darkness by skepticism and you lose your way.  Remember that there is a Santa Claus and our Father in heaven has told us that one day the storms will come, the rains will fall, but in the darkest hour of all Santa Claus and the true spirit of Christmas will always shine the brightest!
With this in mind, I began to wonder what will happen in 8 days when that midnight journey takes place. Will Santa Claus find you and me spreading relief, joy and cheer to our fellow man? Let’s all dream about that night, and what it could and should be…

Saint Nicholas witnesses the gift of Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, plenty of work to be done

All huddled together in a one-room home

The children united asleep in their bed

With visions of health playing around in their head

In a hospital filled with love and care

On this special day, a miracle was in the air

I had chosen the portal instead of the chimney

To begin this long nights journey

With a bag of presents, a wink, and a flutter

Up the elevator, I traveled, without a shutter

Every chair filled with sickness, sadness, and despair

All the sudden, I saw him kneeling there

On bended knee, his eyes with compassion and care

He had reverently bowed; interrupt him, I do not dare!

Beside him a red hat, unlike my very own

This Fez of compassion, since 1922 had shown

In a room of children crippled and burned

He was there offering grace seeking nothing in return

I left that room my presence not needed

For a Shiner’s love had succeeded

In the stillness of the night, I wondered would joy ever return.

Look another, stooped over putting together a toy with a look of concern

His eyes so focused intent on this deed

What kind of man was this, and what is his creed?

On his jacket a clue

I moved closer to view

A Double Headed Eagle

So Noble and so Regal

A Scottish Rite Mason was he

This man on bended knee

Yes I had heard of the Rite Care and their gift to so many

This gift of speech would cost the parents, no not one penny!

There were others to see and the night almost gone

Soon darkness would flee and then comes the dawn

Passing by the lab I noticed a clinician

Focused on the task committed to the mission

I asked him what help he had, to fight the dreaded disease?

He smiled and said, “Santa, The Cryptic Masons charity holds the key!”

Once a year each home I do visit, leaving joy and cheer

But it is the masons who freely give, every day of the year!

I began to wonder how many children lay alone

On Christmas Eve in a bed not their own

Just then carolers began to sing

Proclaiming the birth of Jesus the King

Silent night, Holy night, jingle bells with a bang

An apron, square and compass uniting this gang

Looking back I noticed a Fez, cap, and aprons

These masons freely giving with no aspirations

It’s not the words they say that points to our Father

It’s the gift of Love, and Grace to all, each one his brother

Back to my Reindeer with my sleigh now in tow

My mission ahead, each child safely cared for below

"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

Around the world, we must go, let’s begin our flight!

 Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!



Yes, we have learned there is a Santa Clause, and another lesson we need to apply is from the Grinch.



Your friend and Brother from Inman
Jay Adam