Los Gatos Mt. Moriah Masonic Center Presents:

Brother Harry Houdini – Mason and Magician

Come watch this presentation on the big screen at the Los Gatos Masonic Center, hosted by Mt. Moriah Lodge #292

• Open to Everyone! Bring your Friends and Neighbors!
• Popcorn and soda galore!

On June 28, 2023, the Grand Lodge of California’s virtual educational symposium will explore the life of master magician Brother Harry Houdini and the relevance magic has played in Freemasonry, featuring Maynard Edwards, S. Brent Morris and Ralph C. Shelton II.

This will be a short two part symposium, starting with a Masonic biographical sketch of Bro. Harry Houdini, followed by a roundtable discussion that will explore the profound influence and inspiration the ideals of magic have played in our Craft.  The roundtable discussion will be led by California Grand Master Most Worshipful Randall L. Brill.

There is nothing more captivating than the illusion of magic. From daring disappearing acts to death-defying escapes, magic has always been a profound spectacle that entertains and enthralls.

No one mastered that art better than Harry Houdini (1891–1926). An American-Hungarian immigrant, his humble beginnings and captivation with escapism inspired him to become the most famous and influential magician of all time.

On June 28, in observance of the the 100th anniversary of Houdini’s being raised as a Master Mason with St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 in New York, the California Masonic Symposium turns its attention to the renowned magician, mystic, and Mason. The discussion will be led by Grand Master of California Randall L. Brill.

In addition to exploring the life and Masonic career of Bro. Houdini, the symposium will include a panel discussion of experts diving into a litany of ties between magic and Masonry. What is magic’s relevance to Freemasonry today? How important is showmanship in our ritual What is the magical connection between Freemasonry and the ritual? Certainly the connections are more than just passing: The Grand Lodge of California recently formed a new lodge made up entirely of magicians, in Ye Olde Cup & Ball No. 880. Additionally, the Invisible Lodge is an international group of magician-Masons. But how are the practices of magic and Masonry related—and what philosophical ideas underpin them both?