December 20, 2023 • 10 mins
Embark on a journey through the pillars of Freemasonry as Chris and I, alongside our esteemed guest Steve Silvers from Hillsborough Lodge No. 25, commemorate the fellowship and historical reverence encapsulated in the annual Hudson's Heroes pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. Initiated by Grandmaster Stan Hudson in 2016, this episode unfolds the poignant moments of laying wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and paying homage at George Washington's grave, all while weaving the past into the present for an enlightening Masonic experience. Feel the weight of history and the warmth of brotherhood as we reveal plans for upcoming visits to Capitol Hill and the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, underscoring our commitment to honor and educate.
As we share tales from the heart of the Masonic family, you'll be transported to our cherished annual gatherings, where the joy of maintaining our heritage prevails over any quest for accolades. The episode culminates with the palpable anticipation of the selection process for an upcoming event, a tradition that Steve elucidates with both passion and reverence. This isn't just a retelling of rituals; it's a celebration of the individuals who knit the fabric of our fraternity's legacy. Join us for an intimate look at the rituals that fortify the Masonic community and ensure its enduring influence on society.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey, chris, yeah Fred .
Speaker 2 (00:07):
What's a Mason?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
That's a really good question, fred.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You've reached the internet's home for all things
masonry.
Join Chris and I as we plumbthe depths of our ancient craft,
from the common gavel to thetrowel.
Nothing is off the table, sograb your tools and let's get to
work.
This is On the Level.
Well, chris, we are.
We just continue to rollthrough.
There.
It is the Rebel Yell one moretime.
(00:36):
Well, that was an awesomeinterview with Jeremy Incredible
.
We are definitely going to havehim back.
There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
He is a lifer.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
We are definitely going to harass him and follow
him around until he says yesagain.
So we'll get him back on theshow, no matter what.
Steve brother, how are you?
It's good to see you.
You cannot hear me.
You should be able to hear meloud and clear, man, we have, oh
it could be a check and makesure you're plugged in fully
here.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Now we're good.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Oh, there you go, there you go.
You're going to have to speakright into that microphone,
brother.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
This is actually one of our very close neighbors from
Hillsborough Lodge.
Hillsborough Lodge yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, we met up there at the symposium last year it
was the first time I met you.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah, that was a lot of fun.
We had a great time Rightworshipful.
Yeah, Stephen Silver's.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Stephen Silver's.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Hey, no problem.
No problem at all, man, we wantto get as many people on as we
possibly can.
All right, so give us theskinny.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
John was talking a little bit about the history of
so originally this started outin 2016, when Stan Hudson became
the grandmaster of Masons ofFlorida.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Right, you were district deputy there.
I was a district deputy for him.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Bill was a district deputy for him.
Yes, we were also districtinstructors at the same time the
year before.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Right.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
And several of the other guys that are here were
also Really District deputiesfor Stan.
We were known as Hudson'sheroes.
Okay, and after Stan'sopportunity to sit in the grand
east at the Grand Lodge ofFlorida, Bill came up with this
idea hey, let's go to Washington.
And because we wanted to visitthe guys from Potomac, number
(02:15):
five and attend theirinstallation.
Oh, and while we're at it,since we're going to be here for
a few days, let's do a fewthings.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And then a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
on Friday became one of ourthings that we do all the time
in the grandmaster of the timeat the time.
Florida Grandmaster FloridaGrandmaster Glenn Bishop, this
year most swishable bishop willbe one of the four people who
lay the wreath tomorrow at thetomb and in just a few minutes
(02:44):
we're going to draw three namesout of a hat of all of the
participants that are here fromFlorida to see the next three
people that got to go with him,because four people can lay the
wreath.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That is awesome.
What a privilege for people.
Right, right?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
We've done a lot of different things in our time up
here, as well as going to theinstallation Will the first year
we laid a wreath at the Tomb ofGeorge Washington at.
Mount Vernon in a ceremony thatwe do right outside of his
grave site, and does that stillgoing?
Well, we did it last year, youdid.
(03:21):
We went to Mount Vernon againfor the first time since the
first year.
So we started this in 2017.
And, if I can, if I remembercorrectly, the only there may be
three people that have beenhere every year, I think we said
two before, but I believe thatGreg Wynn over my left shoulder
here.
I believe that he's been hereall every year that we've had
(03:43):
this trip, as well.
And Bill and myself so and everyand the first year that we did
it, it was just Hudson's heroes.
There were about seven or eightof us, maybe nine, of the
district deputy grandmasters,the grandmaster Stan Hudson and
his grand marshal, and we werehere and we have a picture in a
(04:05):
hotel, you know, in front of theChristmas tree.
And there's just there's likeyou know, there's like 10 or 12
of us and that was it Right.
So this started in 2017 withlike 12 brothers and now, six
years later, we're getting 40,50 guys coming riding on up the
gigantic bus to go and do allthese great things together.
So it's a great time to meetpeople from around the state who
(04:27):
maybe I haven't met, who heardabout the trip for a year and
everybody to get to know eachother and, and you know, masonry
is one big happy family, soit's a great time to get
together, and it's right beforethe holidays and it's become
quite a tradition.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I love it.
I think it's as, as Masonrybegins, we see an ascendancy of
masonry, it's kind of comingback to.
We see younger and younger mengetting involved in masonry and
they need to know this.
This is what the new masonscoming in need to understand the
history and to actually seethis place that was very masonic
(05:06):
in its founding, and they needto understand the fraternity
that they're getting involved inhas some deep, deep roots in
the very country you know thatwe're hoping to make an impact,
a positive impact on in thefuture.
You know, and so this is agreat event, man, I mean
absolutely an amazing event it'smagical to be here,
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Right this year this year we're gonna as our first
time, we're gonna go to CapitolHill.
Really, we're all going up tothe, to the United States
Capitol tomorrow afternoon.
We're gonna get a tour, we'regonna have lunch in the Capitol
cafeteria.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
If you guys could show me where the suggestion box
is, I'd like to throw one in.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
They don't have a suggestion box apparently not no
we've gone to the GeorgeWashington National Masonic
Memorial several times Beautiful.
A couple of years ago weactually held a tiled meeting at
the George Washington a tiledmeeting a tiled meeting in one
of those three lodges on theground floor.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
No kidding.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yes, absolutely as a matter of fact.
It's really funny.
I was walking around thebasement area of that.
They have those photographs ofthe historic lodges around the
country right downstairs.
I'm walking along in thecorridor and I look and there's
a picture of Hillsboro Lodge,number 25.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
No kidding On the wall in the, in the.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
In the Masonic Memorial for George Washington.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
We don't have a lot of time, but there's something I
have to ask you, because wewere just talking to Jeremy
about the fact that he he spoketo someone that you know
actually had experiences withGeorge Washington.
So we're talking about legends,right, they're going to survive
time and this is something thatnot very few men have an
(06:42):
opportunity to be remembered intime.
You are one of three people whostarted this adventure, this
historical precedent that'shappening in Freight Nationry.
I know, be humble, but don't behumble Now.
You okay, we're only in thesixth year, but I can see 200
years down the line when we'reall dead and gone.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
This continues to go.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
This could be a like a mecca migration for Masons in
the future.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I hope so, if you were at the.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
What does it feel like to be a man who could be
remembered in history?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Do you even?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
realize it?
Do you even realize it?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I'm getting goosebumps as you say that, but
honestly, you know, to be quitehonest, Bill Cattulus was in
Ocala with another brother who'snot here, who came a couple of
years and to bring the gaveldown to Ocala when Bill had
arranged for that to happen, heasked me to come up and join
(07:42):
them and I did and it was great.
He, kind of Bill, dragged meinto this in 2016 and and ever
since you know, we, Bill and I,have been very close for a long
time, but he dragged me intotraveling around with the gavel
meeting the guys who brought itdown to Washington and who we
(08:03):
became great friends with.
So the general purpose of ourcoming up here originally was
specifically to attend theinstallation of officers at
Potomac number five and and so,because we became friends and
every year there's a differentchairman of the gavel, they
brought the gavel down to theGrand Lodge of Flora.
The Warshville Master ofPotomac Lodge, number five, is
(08:25):
like the chairman of the gavelcommittee.
And then they have people thatare authorized to remove it in a
special, you know, lock casewith mention that Right.
Yeah, that's what Jerry wastalking about With the handcuff
to your wrist and so, yeah, itwas, it was a it.
I'm happy to be part of thatgroup.
I'm, I'm, I'm thankful for Billincluding me in all of the
(08:47):
activities that he imagines inhis head and then makes come
true.
So we owe this to Bill, Sure,and I'm happy that you know be
one of the trusted confidantsthat he'll call up and say, hey,
we're thinking about, let's dothis, what do you think about
going here?
What do you think about goingthere?
And there are a group of fourof us now, including him, that
(09:11):
we bounce these ideas off of todecide on what we're going to do
for the trip.
So we have a good time doingthat.
I have a good time, you know,meeting all the new brothers.
I have a wonderful Masonicfamily that comes up here every
year.
It's a great tradition and Iagree, If they remember, my name
in oh, in a hundred years.
(09:31):
that's great, but I don't do itfor that.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I do it.
It's a, it's a tradition,that's.
That's the perfect word.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
It's a tradition and it'll keep going, and yeah, so,
um so, steve, thanks, man.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Thanks for sitting down and giving us the skinny on
that.
I appreciate it.
We are.
They're about to draw names forthose four people that Jeremy
talked about.
So we're going to cut off forright now and we'll come back
out a little bit.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
We have so many people.
We need to talk so much.
That's right.
That's right.
These are historic people,these are historic things for
our country and our country.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
We will be back after the drawing to do a few more
interviews and uh and we'll,we'll see y'all.
We'll see y'all on the otherside, brother, see you in a
little bit.
Hey, chris, yeah Fred .
Speaker 2 (00:07):
What's a Mason?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
That's a really good question, fred.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You've reached the internet's home for all things
masonry.
Join Chris and I as we plumbthe depths of our ancient craft,
from the common gavel to thetrowel.
Nothing is off the table, sograb your tools and let's get to
work.
This is On the Level.
Well, chris, we are.
We just continue to rollthrough.
There.
It is the Rebel Yell one moretime.
(00:36):
Well, that was an awesomeinterview with Jeremy Incredible
.
We are definitely going to havehim back.
There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
He is a lifer.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
We are definitely going to harass him and follow
him around until he says yesagain.
So we'll get him back on theshow, no matter what.
Steve brother, how are you?
It's good to see you.
You cannot hear me.
You should be able to hear meloud and clear, man, we have, oh
it could be a check and makesure you're plugged in fully
here.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Now we're good.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Oh, there you go, there you go.
You're going to have to speakright into that microphone,
brother.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
This is actually one of our very close neighbors from
Hillsborough Lodge.
Hillsborough Lodge yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, we met up there at the symposium last year it
was the first time I met you.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Yeah, that was a lot of fun.
We had a great time Rightworshipful.
Yeah, Stephen Silver's.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Stephen Silver's.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Hey, no problem.
No problem at all, man, we wantto get as many people on as we
possibly can.
All right, so give us theskinny.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
John was talking a little bit about the history of
so originally this started outin 2016, when Stan Hudson became
the grandmaster of Masons ofFlorida.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Right, you were district deputy there.
I was a district deputy for him.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Bill was a district deputy for him.
Yes, we were also districtinstructors at the same time the
year before.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Right.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
And several of the other guys that are here were
also Really District deputiesfor Stan.
We were known as Hudson'sheroes.
Okay, and after Stan'sopportunity to sit in the grand
east at the Grand Lodge ofFlorida, Bill came up with this
idea hey, let's go to Washington.
And because we wanted to visitthe guys from Potomac, number
(02:15):
five and attend theirinstallation.
Oh, and while we're at it,since we're going to be here for
a few days, let's do a fewthings.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And then a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
on Friday became one of ourthings that we do all the time
in the grandmaster of the timeat the time.
Florida Grandmaster FloridaGrandmaster Glenn Bishop, this
year most swishable bishop willbe one of the four people who
lay the wreath tomorrow at thetomb and in just a few minutes
(02:44):
we're going to draw three namesout of a hat of all of the
participants that are here fromFlorida to see the next three
people that got to go with him,because four people can lay the
wreath.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That is awesome.
What a privilege for people.
Right, right?
Speaker 3 (02:59):
We've done a lot of different things in our time up
here, as well as going to theinstallation Will the first year
we laid a wreath at the Tomb ofGeorge Washington at.
Mount Vernon in a ceremony thatwe do right outside of his
grave site, and does that stillgoing?
Well, we did it last year, youdid.
(03:21):
We went to Mount Vernon againfor the first time since the
first year.
So we started this in 2017.
And, if I can, if I remembercorrectly, the only there may be
three people that have beenhere every year, I think we said
two before, but I believe thatGreg Wynn over my left shoulder
here.
I believe that he's been hereall every year that we've had
(03:43):
this trip, as well.
And Bill and myself so and everyand the first year that we did
it, it was just Hudson's heroes.
There were about seven or eightof us, maybe nine, of the
district deputy grandmasters,the grandmaster Stan Hudson and
his grand marshal, and we werehere and we have a picture in a
(04:05):
hotel, you know, in front of theChristmas tree.
And there's just there's likeyou know, there's like 10 or 12
of us and that was it Right.
So this started in 2017 withlike 12 brothers and now, six
years later, we're getting 40,50 guys coming riding on up the
gigantic bus to go and do allthese great things together.
So it's a great time to meetpeople from around the state who
(04:27):
maybe I haven't met, who heardabout the trip for a year and
everybody to get to know eachother and, and you know, masonry
is one big happy family, soit's a great time to get
together, and it's right beforethe holidays and it's become
quite a tradition.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I love it.
I think it's as, as Masonrybegins, we see an ascendancy of
masonry, it's kind of comingback to.
We see younger and younger mengetting involved in masonry and
they need to know this.
This is what the new masonscoming in need to understand the
history and to actually seethis place that was very masonic
(05:06):
in its founding, and they needto understand the fraternity
that they're getting involved inhas some deep, deep roots in
the very country you know thatwe're hoping to make an impact,
a positive impact on in thefuture.
You know, and so this is agreat event, man, I mean
absolutely an amazing event it'smagical to be here,
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Right this year this year we're gonna as our first
time, we're gonna go to CapitolHill.
Really, we're all going up tothe, to the United States
Capitol tomorrow afternoon.
We're gonna get a tour, we'regonna have lunch in the Capitol
cafeteria.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
If you guys could show me where the suggestion box
is, I'd like to throw one in.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
They don't have a suggestion box apparently not no
we've gone to the GeorgeWashington National Masonic
Memorial several times Beautiful.
A couple of years ago weactually held a tiled meeting at
the George Washington a tiledmeeting a tiled meeting in one
of those three lodges on theground floor.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
No kidding.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yes, absolutely as a matter of fact.
It's really funny.
I was walking around thebasement area of that.
They have those photographs ofthe historic lodges around the
country right downstairs.
I'm walking along in thecorridor and I look and there's
a picture of Hillsboro Lodge,number 25.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
No kidding On the wall in the, in the.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
In the Masonic Memorial for George Washington.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
We don't have a lot of time, but there's something I
have to ask you, because wewere just talking to Jeremy
about the fact that he he spoketo someone that you know
actually had experiences withGeorge Washington.
So we're talking about legends,right, they're going to survive
time and this is something thatnot very few men have an
(06:42):
opportunity to be remembered intime.
You are one of three people whostarted this adventure, this
historical precedent that'shappening in Freight Nationry.
I know, be humble, but don't behumble Now.
You okay, we're only in thesixth year, but I can see 200
years down the line when we'reall dead and gone.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
This continues to go.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
This could be a like a mecca migration for Masons in
the future.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I hope so, if you were at the.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
What does it feel like to be a man who could be
remembered in history?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Do you even?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
realize it?
Do you even realize it?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
I'm getting goosebumps as you say that, but
honestly, you know, to be quitehonest, Bill Cattulus was in
Ocala with another brother who'snot here, who came a couple of
years and to bring the gaveldown to Ocala when Bill had
arranged for that to happen, heasked me to come up and join
(07:42):
them and I did and it was great.
He, kind of Bill, dragged meinto this in 2016 and and ever
since you know, we, Bill and I,have been very close for a long
time, but he dragged me intotraveling around with the gavel
meeting the guys who brought itdown to Washington and who we
(08:03):
became great friends with.
So the general purpose of ourcoming up here originally was
specifically to attend theinstallation of officers at
Potomac number five and and so,because we became friends and
every year there's a differentchairman of the gavel, they
brought the gavel down to theGrand Lodge of Flora.
The Warshville Master ofPotomac Lodge, number five, is
(08:25):
like the chairman of the gavelcommittee.
And then they have people thatare authorized to remove it in a
special, you know, lock casewith mention that Right.
Yeah, that's what Jerry wastalking about With the handcuff
to your wrist and so, yeah, itwas, it was a it.
I'm happy to be part of thatgroup.
I'm, I'm, I'm thankful for Billincluding me in all of the
(08:47):
activities that he imagines inhis head and then makes come
true.
So we owe this to Bill, Sure,and I'm happy that you know be
one of the trusted confidantsthat he'll call up and say, hey,
we're thinking about, let's dothis, what do you think about
going here?
What do you think about goingthere?
And there are a group of fourof us now, including him, that
(09:11):
we bounce these ideas off of todecide on what we're going to do
for the trip.
So we have a good time doingthat.
I have a good time, you know,meeting all the new brothers.
I have a wonderful Masonicfamily that comes up here every
year.
It's a great tradition and Iagree, If they remember, my name
in oh, in a hundred years.
(09:31):
that's great, but I don't do itfor that.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I do it.
It's a, it's a tradition,that's.
That's the perfect word.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
It's a tradition and it'll keep going, and yeah, so,
um so, steve, thanks, man.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Thanks for sitting down and giving us the skinny on
that.
I appreciate it.
We are.
They're about to draw names forthose four people that Jeremy
talked about.
So we're going to cut off forright now and we'll come back
out a little bit.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
We have so many people.
We need to talk so much.
That's right.
That's right.
These are historic people,these are historic things for
our country and our country.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
We will be back after the drawing to do a few more
interviews and uh and we'll,we'll see y'all.
We'll see y'all on the otherside, brother, see you in a
little bit.
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