An area of Carmel's history that seems little known involves the heritage of Carmel's Masons. The lodge here dates back to l935, though the Pacific Grove Lodge was founded one hundred years ago in l897, and the Monterey Lodge just celebrated its 125th anniversary last summer when Governor Wilson visited.

Founding Carmel members that went on to become Past Masters of the Lodge include Bernard Schulte (with a road in Carmel Valley named for him), Donald Saniford (who had the pharmacy| on Ocean Avenue), Harry Hilbert (also an Ocean Avenue merchant) and George Wishart (whose Bakery still bares his name). Other Past Masters include Dr. Charles Pierson, a 33 degree Mason who was Master in l955, had an optometrist office downtown, and is still active today; Herb Blanks, 33 degrees, who served as Carmel's Mayor from l964 to l966; Harold Weston; Barnet Segal, the philanthropist who now has a street named for him near the new Hospice, which he helped endow, and Harold Lewis who served in 1951 and l976 and today, at 97, is still an active Mason.

The 33rd is the highest achievement a Mason can earn, and it is held by 76-year-old Dr. Charles Pierson of Carmel's Hatton Fields. A naval officer during WWII, Pierson is well versed in both the local history and the ancient traditions of Masonic lore. He is a long time friend of former Mayor Barney Laiolo, a 32 degree Mason who joined the Lodge here in the Fifties at the invitation of his friend Bob Spenser of Spenser's Stationary.

Laiolo explains that complex lore of Masonry is symbolized in hand carved wooden decorations that grace the chambers of the Carmel Lodge on Lincoln south of Seventh. He has a pamphlet, available to all who are interested, that connects the symbols to Biblical references of Solomon's Temple and the wisdom of Solomon and other great sages revered by Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Those Carmelites who honor such wisdom and ancient teachings, such as Willard Neuman of the Forest Lodge, and others,commemorate the passing of brother Masons such as Dale Leidig and Herb Blanks who died last year. Photos of distinguished and deceased members that hang inside the Lodge include one of Carmel's Postmasters, Paul Tekawa, who was a Neisi veteran of WWII who decoded the secret Japanese cipher used in their communications. Breaking that code led to America winning a key naval battle in the Pacific, Midway, that then pointed the way to the defeat of Japanese fascism. Breaking the code also led American pilots to locate and shoot down General Yamamoto, the key planner of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Current projects that involve local Masons include a group of them, known as Shriners, who have worked towards establishing an ultra modern burn center at their Children's Hospital in Sacramento.

Some rumors have called Masonry a "secret order," inspiring conspiracy theorists to look for something sinister behind the Masonic symbolism, Pierson, however, exemplifies the true Masonic spirit of answering any questions from those "seeking the light." Like many of the world's great spiritual paths, journeys into the light involve a ritualized process. In this way mentors can carefully guide adepts from one degree to the next, making sure they understand each stage in this process of transformation.

To evolve into a 32 or 33 degree Mason, like many of the men mentioned in this article, takes study and profound contemplation of each degree on the path. The reason that there are "Ineffable Degrees" in Masonry is to insure that previous degrees are thoroughly comprehended before learning of the next steps of spiritual evolution. Thus going into detail about the "ineffable" lore of some degrees to those who lack a through background to understand them, causes more problems than clarification.

Carmel Masons, for sixty years, have generously guided interested neighbors up the Masonic path, step by step, degree by degree, in order to share a rich historical legacy that was active at both the beginnings of the Europeans Renaissance and the American Revolution. In this century such high ranking Masons as Harry Truman and Bob Dole have served America patriotically, as well as Carmel's late General Jimmy Doolittle, a much honored Mason.