S&C Information Video: Postage Stamps = A Masonic Opportunity

Traditional mail holds in the hearts of many a special place; the stamp used to send traditional mail presents a Masonic opportunity.

If any readers know of any Masonic postage stamps, please write it in in the comments! You can find the full article on medium.com, at: https://adamson-cameron.medium.com/masonic-postage-stamps-a-masonic-opportunity-93df3e9d771e

Sources include: John Warren Reynolds and Louis N. Jansurik, “Freemasons on Canadian Postage Stamps with comments on conducting Masonic research in Ontario” (2003) (ResearchGate)

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/about-us/financial-reports/2019-annual-report/story-of-2019.page

https://www.fictionletters.com/post/2018-12-07-94-of-people-love-getting-letters-in-the-mail

https://www.inverse.com/article/47822-millennials-still-like-getting-snail-mail-because-it-makes-them-feel-special

www.picturepostage.ca

Article:

2021 marks for both the beautiful Windsor Masonic Temple and Harmony Masonic Lodge (which meets at the Windsor Masonic Temple) 100 years of community service and Brotherhood.

To commemorate these milestones, this author used Canada Post’s “Picture Postage Program” to commission stamps featuring (respectively) the Windsor Masonic Temple’s Iconic Façade and Harmony Masonic Lodge’s Official Logo.

Although not “official” Canadian postage, they are legal stamps and usable as postage (for mail within Canada).

This author also contacted Canada Post, and requested the issuance of an official stamp commemorating the Windsor Masonic Temple’s centennial year.

Pursuant to a January 2021 correspondence, the Canada Post Stamp Advisory Committee will “review [the request] for the 2022 Stamp Program...”

Subsequently, this author began searching for examples of Masonic postage stamps. John Warren Reynolds and Louis N. Jansurik, were excellent resources.

Stamps Featuring Prominent Figures Who Were Freemasons Canada Post has issued many stamps featuring prominent Canadian figures who were Freemasons, including Prime Ministers and other prominent figures.

Many jurisdictions outside of Canada issued postage featuring prominent figures who were Freemasons, such as Bro. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (recently deceased), Bro. Sir. Winston Churchill, and numerous American Presidents and Statesmen, to name a few. It is always wonderful to see Masonic Brethren recognized (via stamps or any other way); it is unfortunate that none of these stamps directly reference Freemasonry.

For stamps directly referencing Freemasonry, the author found two Canadian examples.

1 - A 47 cent stamp, issued 19 September 2001, featuring the Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners) emblem; and

2 - A 52 cent denomination stamp issued 7 Aug 2007 (via the Canada Post “Picture Postage Program”) featuring Most Worshipful Bro. Allan John Petrisor.

The lack of Canadian stamps directly referencing Freemasonry represents a significant lost Masonic opportunity. Other jurisdictions (Cuba, Dominica, France, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and St. Kitts among others) have issued Masonic stamps, many featuring the Square & Compasses

While modern communication often takes place electronically, classic (“snail”) mail still represents for many Canadians an important mode of communication.

In 2019, Canada Post delivered 7.9 billion units of mail.

Every unit represents an opportunity; an opportunity to send (from coast-to-coast-to-coast) a piece of mail featuring a stamp with an official Masonic symbol.

...

While it may seem old fashioned, for many Canadians the sending and receiving of traditional mail represents a special ceremony.

“In a Gallup poll taken a couple of years ago, 94% of respondents said that they love receiving a physical letter in the mail from someone they know" Not only does getting a letter in the mail make people happy, but just the thought of checking the mail is something that 41% of Americans look forward to doing! …

The feeling you get after opening the mailbox and finding a personal letter addressed to you among all of the junk mail and bills is something that we need more of, not less!”

Another report found:

“that millennials, Gen X, and Boomers all reported similar levels of satisfaction with the Postal Service, and 75 percent of millennials said that it’s still nice to receive personal mail and that it makes them feel “special.” [emphasis added].

While many Lodge Secretaries (author included) rely heavily on e-mail for member communication, an increase in the use of physical mail (with corresponding Masonic stamps) could help increase attendance at and interest in Lodge.

All opinions expressed are those of Square & Compass Promotions and the guest(s), and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Windsor Masonic Temple and/or the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario