The Executive Board of The Philalethes Society met in executive session in Suite 320 of the Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C., on Thursday, February 17, 2000, at 7:40 p.m., with the following members present: Robert G. Davis, President; Royal C. Scofield, Immediate Past President; Nelson King, First Vice President and Editor of The Philalethes; Duane E. Anderson, Second Vice President; Wallace McLeod, Executive Secretary; Kenneth D. Roberts, Business Manager; and Joel Springer III, Second Vice President Designate.
The meeting was called to order by the President, who pronounced the Invocation. Then he welcomed those in attendance. He reported on his activities on behalf of the Society, and made recommendations as to the activities that should be pursued for its continued success.
Due to a previous commitment, Paul Bessel was not able to be present, but he submitted a Report on the Masonic Leadership Center. The MLC has prepared an ever-expanding number of webpages, which are filled with useful information about Freemasonry in many of its aspects. The current financial resources are sufficient for the time being. The Executive Board thanked Paul Bessel for all his work. It invited him to present financial reports and a budget at the Semi-Annual Meeting, so that the Executive Board would be able to make a decision as to our future relationship with the MLC.
The Business Manager reported that the Society's net worth had increased by about $2000 during the year 1999, and that the Philalethes CD-ROM had now turned a profit of more than $2000. Arrangements were under way to increase the amount of income to be derived from the investment of our life membership fund. We are recruiting most of our new members through our website, and it is now possible to pay Philalethes dues by credit card. We have collected and distributed donations for the purpose of assisting flood victims in North Carolina and Venezuela.
The Editor noted that the magazine continues to be well received, and that he was receiving many requests to republish our articles elsewhere. With regard to the Internet Activities, he reported that our main website has 2000 visitors every day, and that the Philalethes list-server has more than 400 members. The Masonic Service Association of North America is going to mail out 30,000 application forms for us in the Spring.
The Executive Secretary expressed his gratitude to the Business Manager and the Editor, for carrying out so much of the day-to-day administration. Three Chapters under dispensation had fulfilled the requirements to receive Charters: Logos Chapter, in Chicago, Illinois; Prometheus Chapter, in Thessaloniki, Greece; and the Michigan Philalethes Internet Chapter. Planning for the Semi-Annual Meeting, Toronto, September 28 - 30, was proceeding apace.
Harold Davidson, in his written report as Librarian, noted that he had sold a number of copies of Seekers of Truth, and that he regularly sent out replacement copies of the magazine to those subscribers whose copies were defective or damaged in the mail, as well as multiple copies for recruitment purposes.
Joel H. Springer III was selected to fill the vacancy in the list of Fellows; he is Fellow No 185. The Board agreed with the Committee on the Certificate of Literature that Robert L. Uzzel should receive the award for the best article published in The Philalethes for 1999. Errol Feldman, Ron Blaisdell, and Aubrey Brown Sr, were selected to receive the Award of Merit, for their work in responding to questions about Freemasonry that are asked on the Philalethes Welcome Wall, and Preston Burner, for his work on the computer bulletin board known as Hiram's Oasis. The possible locations for future Semi-Annual Meetings were discussed, and it was agreed that the Executive Board would attempt to encourage planning for the following sites: (2000, Toronto, is of course settled); 2001, San Antonio; 2002, Indianapolis; 2003, Minneapolis; 2004, San Francisco.
A vote of thanks was proposed to Royal C. Scofield, for his eight years of devoted service on the Executive Board.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
[A few features of the Assembly and Feast should be mentioned. The head table was piped in by Bro. Richard Blair of Maryland. The total number of those who attended the Feast was close to 200. The commemorative blue "firing glasses" proved, once again, to be very popular with our members. Charters were distributed to the representatives of the new Chapters who were present. The Philalethes Lecturer was Bro. Leon Zeldis, of the State of Israel, who delivered a superb address entitled "Looking Back, Moving Forward;" the talk will of course be published in the magazine. Then the officers for the next two years were announced and installed. The new incumbents are as follows: President and Editor, Nelson King, FPS; First Vice President, Duane E. Anderson, FPS; Second Vice President, Joel H. Springer, III, FPS.
After the Feast, the traditional Forum was held, where the Brothers and their guests could ask questions of the "experts" at the head table.
Respectfully submitted,
Wallace McLeod, Executive Secretary