Edgar A. Guest, often celebrated as the "People's Poet," was deeply committed to the principles of Freemasonry, which significantly colored the optimistic and fraternal themes of his writing. A member of Ashlar Lodge No. 91 in Detroit, Guest viewed the craft not just as a social club, but as a blueprint for a life well-lived.

Brethren all: As we assemble for our Annual Feast of Saint John Observance, I’d like you to stop everything that you are doing right now. Look around the room and really absorb this moment. We are going to have a small exercise before we continue. As you look around the room at all these Freemasons, perhaps you don’t know everyone. That’s ok. Perhaps this is your first Table Lodge…also ok.

I am going to share something from inside the Lodge. I do not really consider this a “Masonic Secret” as much as I do “Masonic Common Sense”. But then the majority of our lessons are very common sense. Maybe that’s why it takes a lifetime to master them?

In most academic settings, an egregore is described as a kind of collective mental formation - a shared psychological construct that comes into being when a group of people hold the same beliefs, participate in the same rituals, and commit themselves to the same ideas. From that perspective, an egregore is created when a common theme is established by a group and then reinforced through repeated actions and emotional investment over time.

Within Freemasonry, ritual is far more than memorized words and practiced movements - it is the living heartbeat of the Craft. Every degree is designed to communicate timeless lessons through symbolism, cadence, and solemn delivery. When performed with precision and sincerity, the ritual becomes a powerful teaching tool, capable of leaving a lasting impression on the candidate and shaping their Masonic journey from the very beginning.

Someone must lead the Lodge, and so it has been since time immemorial. Brothers rise to the Oriental Chair to serve as Worshipful Masters - a title they carry for the rest of their lives as Worshipful Brothers (Past Masters). They deserve the utmost respect for their dedication, service, and labor. They are the beacons of every Lodge throughout the world, the custodians of authority, and the guardians of Masonic principles and values.

To the exceptional brothers born in February: you didn’t settle for starting the year—you chose to own the shortest, coldest, and most unpredictable month of them all.

A great deal goes into maintaining a respectable home. Our Lodge is our home, and rest assured that considerable effort is invested in keeping it both respectable and fully functional - for ourselves today and for future brethren.

The Lodge building improvement project continues into the new year of 2026 without pause, reflecting our ongoing commitment to preserving and enhancing the beauty of our Lodge. All materials needed to complete the East wall have now arrived, and the contractors have already begun work installing the columns and the stone pattern. This phase of construction is expected to take approximately two weeks and, by the time you read this, should be fully completed.

On January 12, the officers of Porter Lodge convened in the dining room for their first officers’ meeting of the year. The newly installed Worshipful Master outlined his vision for the year, first in broad terms and then with greater detail. A variety of initiatives were discussed, with a strong emphasis on strengthening fellowship among the brethren and their families. To that end, several inclusive events were proposed, including a movie night at the Lodge, shared dinners, the annual picnic, and similar gatherings.