My dad was a member of a Masonic lodge in Michigan. After he passed some years back, as the estate got settled I got some boxes of personal items I am just now going through, and some of them have to do with his membership there.

Specifically, I find I have three small leather-bound books, two of which are in some sort of code, and one in clear text. One dates to 1897, one to 1945 and the other has no printed date on it. My dad passed suddenly and unexpectedly or no doubt he would have done whatever was correct back then.

I'm not a member and have no knowledge of what should have been done with them, or what I should do with them now. The books have no personal interest for me, so if they should go to his old lodge or one near where I am now, I am fine with that. Or if Masonic procedures would prefer these be destroyed, I could have that done as well.

I do know that discretion is part of how things are done and I am fine with that, which is why I didn't post pictures of the books or list the titles in case that might be sensitive for some reason. I do have that info and can send if needed.

Anyway, if there are Masons on the board who might know what would be best to do with these, I'd appreciate any guidance.

I can't help, but I know there are Masons on the forum.

I'm in the same situation you are, but for longer; my Dad died in 1992. He was a Master Mason. I didn't have any intention of getting rid of his stuff as I thought someday I would follow in the same path...though I've yet to do it.

I keep my Dad's stuff as a memento. But, find the closest chapter and ask them.

One night at a friends house I noticed a guy with the emblem on his polo shirt. In conversation I asked if he was a dues paying member, or was he going through the chairs. He smiled and said something like that yes. We talked some more. I talked about my families history with the organization. At the end of the evening he handed me his card, and said if I ever wanted to know more, and needed any help, don't hesitate to ask. Couple of days later I pulled the card out and looked at it. He was the Senior Warden for the Colorado Grand Lodge.

Just contact the Lodge and ask them to take the books . I have no doubt that they will be happy to oblige you .

They sound like books the local lodge, particularly the one where he was a member, would be interested in. Given the dates, the one written in clear text might be a book of Constitution from the State Grand Lodge. Basically a book of rules that the Grand Lodge and local lodges operate under. The ones written in cipher might be Ritual (or the spoken works).
In Illinois, we have Ritual books that are written in plain text, with some omissions, but I don't think they have been available going back that far. Prior to that, I'm told, it was all taught "mouth to ear".

Louie Hampton
Wood River Masonic Lodge #1062 A.F.& A.M
Wood River Illinois

Some Masonic proceedings are widely available in text books or the web. But there is still a great amount that is only available "mouth to ear". I agree with a few others to find a local lodge, contact them, and explain what you have and they should take them. You might even look in the front of the books and actually find the lodge where the books came from.

What Lodge? I have a friend that is a Mason from the Flint area and there is a Lodge in Howell. If either of these may be some help I could act as an intermediary or put you in touch with someone in these Lodges.

My email is in my profile if I can be any help.

Update, the friend is in Cedar Lodge #60, Clarkston Mi.

Go ahead and take it down to the local lodge, you'll have the best luck on lodge night.

Thanks all for the information.

From notes in the front, it looks like he belonged to the lodge in Benton Harbor. There is also a lodge not too far from where I live in NC.

Thinking maybe I take them to the local lodge and get someone there to advise with the disposition.

Sorry, haven’t been to that area in over a decade.

I was a lodge Secretary for around 20 years. Quite often relatives of deceased members would turn items in to their father/uncle or grandfathers old lodge. What it sounds like is you have a couple of old cypher books. In Masonry there is a certain amount of memory work that one must do before you advance in what we call Blue Lodge. These books assist in that memory work and probably would not help any member of a lodge in North Carolina. It seems like the ritual wording is different from state to state. Close, but slightly different. I’ll do some checking around and see if your father’s old lodge in Benton Harbor still exists I live about 40 miles away. Several lodges in not only Michigan or my home state of Indiana have closed or consolidated. If you have a lodge name or number that would help.

ch23701, thanks for digging in.

Inside the front cover of one of the books it says "Lakeshore Lodge 298" if that helps.

Lake Shore No. 298
3661 E. Napier Ave.
Benton Harbor, Mi 49022-9675

It appears the lodge is still in existence. You could send the items to the lodge or just hang on to them as a keepsake. If you send them back you might want to tell them a little bit about your father. I’m going to be honest with you. Things have really changed since your father was a member and I’m really not sure the items you’d send back would be of any use to anyone. I had several items like this given to me as a secretary and used very few of them. Let me know if there’s anything else you need help with, at least Masonic related LOL!