On June 11, Hackenburg-Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 19 conferred a Master Mason's Degree during a meeting of Prudence Lodge #11, P.H.A., at the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. This was the first time this has ever happened in Pennsylvania, and it is believed to be the first time in the United States. Witnessed by more than 100 people, the event came about, in large part, because of the untiring efforts of Bro. Michael Feldsher, P.M., to promote friendship and brotherly love between the two Philadelphia lodges. In June 2010, Prudence Lodge #11 conferred 3rd Degrees on five of their members at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia.

With the help of Bro. Charles Holloway P.M., District Deputy Grand Master (D.D.G.M.) of Masonic District C, Hackenburg-Mt. Moriah Lodge received a dispensation for the event from R.W. Grand Master Thomas K. Sturgeon, while Prudence Lodge #11 received similar dispensation from their Most Worshipful Grand Master, Leonard A. Heard.

Brothers Jerome Springer, W.M., Hackenburg-Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 19, and LaShawn Braxton, W.M., Prudence Lodge #11, finalized details for the event. Practices were held, and the lodge tools, regalia and copies of the "Ahiman Rezon," "Digest of Decisions" and the lodge's bylaws were brought to the Prince Hall building to ensure conformity with ritual during the event.

Bro. S. Robert Wagman, P.M., served as Worshipful Master and led the Hackenburg-Mt. Moriah Lodge degree team in conferring the 3rd Degree on the candidate, Bro. Daniel Holmes. He was assisted by fellow lodge members Brothers Michael Rabinowitch, S.W.; Fred Ruderick, J.W.; Len Rosenfeld, P.M.; Ed Doneson, P.M.; Howard Pressman; Barry Oppenheim; David Jones; Richard Jones, P.M.; Bart Davis, P.M.; and Feldsher. The Charge at Raising was delivered by Bro. Davis. Bro. Holloway made the Bible presentation.

Upon completion, a series of speeches marking the event's significance and thanking those who worked so hard were given by the Worshipful Masters of both lodges; Bro. Holloway; Eugene Smack, D.D.G.M., 1st Masonic District of Prince Hall; and Grand Lecturer Wayne Howard, P.M.

After the meeting was closed, many of the brethren went out for lunch to celebrate the historic occasion.

Newly raised Bro. Daniel Holmes; Bro. LaShawn Braxton, W.M., Prudence Lodge No. 11; Bro. Jerome Springer, W.M., Hackenburg-Mount Moriah Lodge No. 19, and Bro. Robert Wagman, P.M., who conferred the degree.

Introducing our latest exclusive Byers' Caroler, Bro. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as he would have appeared attending lodge in Vienna in 1785. All carolers are handmade in Chalfont, Pa., by the Byers family! Mozart wears a velvet coat and carries a copy of his famous Masonic opera, "The Magic Flute," and also wears a pewter sword at his side as was the custom in Vienna in the 1700s. Mozart costs $77 plus UPS shipping and tax, if applicable. There are also a few of our remaining figures available: Brothers Ben Franklin, John Philip Sousa and George Washington. To Order: Call the Masonic Library & Museum Shop, Temple Treasures, at (800) 336-7317 or visit our online store: www.masonicmuseumgifts.com. And, of course, you can always buy them in the shop in the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia!

Bro. Mozart was initiated into the Austrian Lodge Zur Wohltätigkeit (Charity, Benevolence) Dec. 14, 1784; passed in the Lodge Zur Wahren Eintracht [True Harmony] in 1785 and raised a Master Mason there by April 22, 1785. Mozart's father, Johann Georg Leopold Mozart, was his first teacher. Other mentors and friends included Bro. Johann Christian Bach, youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach, and Franz Haydn. At Mozart's urging, all became members of the fraternity by 1785. Mozart's Masonic music includes two cantatas, several songs, funeral music and the 39th symphony. He also wrote several pieces of music for Bro. Franklin's mechanized version of the glass harmonica, invented in 1743.