The Masonic Book Club started in 1970, and reprints hard to find Masonic books in limited hardback editions for its members. In the next few weeks, they will be shipping the 2010 title, Evolutions of Freemasonry by Delmar Duane Darrah, PGM of Illinois, a collection of articles on Freemasonry written in the 1920s.
According to the Club newsletter, "Delmar Duane Darrah was a Professor of English and Public Speaking at Illinois Wesleyan University. He served Illinois as Grand Master in 1910-11, Grand Commandery's Grand Recorder in the early 1920's. He was an Active Member of the Supreme Council and Deputy for Illinois in 1932, serving as Grand Lieutenant Commander of the Supreme Council, N.M.J., A.A.S.R. He was a Masonic publisher, an author and a lecturer of wide renown. He was also a key mentor of Louis L. Williams who was one of the founders of the Masonic Book Club."
The Club lost its printer of four decades this past year, but now has a new supplier, and they are now offering on-line payments for annual dues and book sales via Paypal. Past editions are for sale, and the Club is partnered with the Illinois Lodge of Research Library, which is administering their book inventory.
Annual dues are $20 US & Canada, and $25 for members in other countries. See www.masonicbookclub.org
UPDATE:
Please note! As of early 2016, the Masonic Book Club has gone out of business, and the Illinois Lodge of Research no longer lists the Club's old stock of titles anymore. Rumor has it that another existing, established Masonic research organization is going to resurrect the Club, possibly by 2017, and the hope is to reprint many of the older titles that are out of print and hard to find. But no details are publicly available yet.
According to the Club newsletter, "Delmar Duane Darrah was a Professor of English and Public Speaking at Illinois Wesleyan University. He served Illinois as Grand Master in 1910-11, Grand Commandery's Grand Recorder in the early 1920's. He was an Active Member of the Supreme Council and Deputy for Illinois in 1932, serving as Grand Lieutenant Commander of the Supreme Council, N.M.J., A.A.S.R. He was a Masonic publisher, an author and a lecturer of wide renown. He was also a key mentor of Louis L. Williams who was one of the founders of the Masonic Book Club."
The Club lost its printer of four decades this past year, but now has a new supplier, and they are now offering on-line payments for annual dues and book sales via Paypal. Past editions are for sale, and the Club is partnered with the Illinois Lodge of Research Library, which is administering their book inventory.
Annual dues are $20 US & Canada, and $25 for members in other countries. See www.masonicbookclub.org
UPDATE:
Please note! As of early 2016, the Masonic Book Club has gone out of business, and the Illinois Lodge of Research no longer lists the Club's old stock of titles anymore. Rumor has it that another existing, established Masonic research organization is going to resurrect the Club, possibly by 2017, and the hope is to reprint many of the older titles that are out of print and hard to find. But no details are publicly available yet.