Please introduce yourself. Tell us your name, where you’re from, how long you’ve been an Ohio Mason, your home Lodge, and any leadership positions you’ve held within Ohio Freemasonry.
My name is Richard D. Snow and I was born in Columbus, Ohio. I’m a member of New England Lodge #4, and a Freemason for 60 years. I presided in all 4 York Rite bodies: Symbolic Lodge, Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, Council of Royal & Select Masons and a Commandery of Knights Templar, and l am a charter member of Andrew J White Junior Council #245. I am also a past patron of Worthington chapter Order the Eastern Star.
I’m a past president of the Alumni Association of the Masonic Home in Springfield. I came here as a 5-year-old in 1937 and stayed until I graduated high school 1950. Later on I continued to come to every alumni reunion since 1947, we still hold them only there’s not very many of us left.
Well, I became very much involved over my 60 years as a Freemason. I was a Past Master of the Ohio Lodge of Research and Past High Priest of the Chapter of Research of the Grand Chapter of Ohio. I’ve written nearly 100 pages on Freemasonry. I’ve authored the 200 year history of New England Lodge #4 and the 200 year history of Mount Vernon Commandery. I participated in updating the history of Worthington Chapter #287 Order of the Eastern Star, and I wrote the history of the last 50 years of the Grand Chapter of Ohio. I published one of my papers in a book, and when I was outgoing president of our alumni association I put together a little booklet which included papers that I had written on all 740 kids that have lived in the Masonic Home since 1897.
I received numerous honors. I received the distinguished service medal of the Grand Chapter, of the Grand Council, and of the Grand Commandery. I received the Demolay Legion of Honor which is the highest honor that an adult can receive from the Demolay Group. I have a certificate as a lecturer for the Grand Chapter of Ohio where I’ve lectured all over the state of Ohio on behalf of the Ohio Lodge of Research and the Grand Chapter of Research. I’m also an honorary member of several masonic bodies where I’ve done ritualistic work.
What does the Grand Master’s theme of “Be Legendary” mean to you?
It’s taught me the meaning of friendship and of having that with one person or another. I’ve learned that over the time I’ve met people who I never would have met before and now we’re lifelong friends. Being Legendary is a system that values the moral virtues that a man can live by, and I’ve tried to do that. I’ve tried to live by the moral virtues that are expressed in all the degrees of Freemasonry, especially that of charity and that of virtue. Freemasonry expresses these values I’ved tried to live by, and I’ve tried to teach others what I’ve learned over my time as a Mason as well.
What advice would you give to younger members who might want to step up in Ohio Freemasonry, and why?
I would recommend that they learn everything about Freemasonry. Learning all about it is a good way to understand how this fraternity has been able to survive and express its virtues to many people for a long time. I tell people when they ask me about Freemasonry that it expresses the moral virtues that one should live by. You really start with that from the very beginning in the Entered Apprentice degree where you were admonished in the northeast corner of the lodge. It is where your moral and spiritual creed are born.
You’ve been a Mason for over 60 years. What kept you coming back to Lodge time and time again?
It’s the camaraderie that formed between men in the lodge, and I also love hearing the ritual. I’ve written articles about what the ritual should mean to people and what it has meant to me. I’ve also dissected the virtue of the beehive and the hourglass and a few others. These symbols are expressed to Masons to show them how to live. As a candidate counselor I always broke the catechism down into elements that they should be able to manage so that they understand what they’re learning in ritual and what it might mean to them.
Well, I’ve also expressed to the men that I’ve been teaching that the metaphors expressed in our ritual, most people don’t understand. I try to bring that out to them so when they have somebody that they’re gonna teach the catechism to, they can use those same elements and express what the ritual is really talking about and what it really means to them. I’ve lectured all over Ohio and I bring those elements out to the people I’ve addressed.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve been an honorary member of Snow Lodge down in Harrison, Ohio, where I gave a lot of the artifacts of my great great grandfather to them.
I’m also in the process of preparing several books and publishing a series of my papers. I’ve already had a small publishing of those lectures, but my papers are what the lodge wants to print, about 70 or 80 of them into a book form. So it’s exciting to get my lectures and work put together in one book and distributed to lodges.
Finally, I’d like to thank whoever nominated me, I’m honored.
Read our other Be Legendary features with Bro. Ryan Cresanto and Bro. Richard Graeter!