IN FEBRUARY OF 1932 the library of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A. was expanded and enriched by the gift of a very unique collection of Lincolniana. Librarian William L. Boyden, 33°, in his report to the Supreme Council that year, noted the receipt of this important bequest with the
following words: "Dr. Louis D. Carman, 32°, of Washington, D. c., donated his extensive library relating principally to Abraham Lincoln, consisting of 567 volumes and 600 pamphlets,"! To the casual observer the presence of a collection with this unique subject matter may seem a strange occurrence. But it is important to note that the period proximate to the Civil War, whose events so decisively tested the character and actions of President Abraham Lincoln, was also a particular period of testing and advancement for the Masonic fraternity. And for both, the philosophical ideas embodied in "the most excellent tenets of our institution" proved to be a landmark and moral guide for personal conduct and accountability that ultimately led to the resolution conflicting passions in American society and to the reconstruction of the nation.

The subject of "Lincoln and Masonry" is and remains untouched in the endless list of historical works and research articles written about the life and activities of the sixteenth President of the United States. This is apparently attributable to the fact that few researchers and writers realize that from early youth to the last minutes of his life he was surrounded by friends and admirers, enemies and rivals - many of whom were adherents of the same ancient philosophy - the fraternity of Freemasons.

Upon strict examination of the numerous writings and research papers written by Masonic authors, we must acknowledge that the subject of Lincoln and Masonry is a rare phenomenon. But at the same time, we also give due credit to the reference publications and biographic literature about the Freemasons which unfailingly connect Abraham Lincoln with Freemasonry
in the list of citations. For example, the Dean of Masonic Historians, Harry LeRoy Haywood, informs us: "...we know that he [Lincoln] proposed as a part of his longed-for private life to seek membership in the Fraternity... he would in another four years, and also like Washington before him, have become a Freemason. If he had consummated that purpose, he doubtless would never had thought of himself as a member in a mere organization, he would probably have not become a Lodge worker, but would have envisaged it as his role in the Craft to identify himself with that fraternalism, good-will, humaneness, equality, and tolerance which the name of Freemasonry is synonymous. But what if he never became a member? He was a Mason at heart if not in name, in effect if not in fact!"2 And in his classic work, 10,000 Famous Freemasons, William R. Denslow included Abraham Lincoln in his list with the following entry: "Abraham Lincoln, (1809-1865) Sixteenth President of the United States. Not a Mason, but there are several interesting Masonic references to him." Denslow also noted in that same entry that: "On April 17, 1865, Tyrian Lodge No. 333 of Springfield, Ill. adopted the following resolution: 'Resolved, that the decision of President Lincoln to postpone his application for the honors of Masonry, lest his motives should be misconstrued, is in the highest degree honorable to his memory."'3

The question of Abraham Lincoln's relationship to Freemasonry was first addressed as a research topic by Dr. Louis D. Carman, owner of the Lincolniana Collection, in a lecture "Abraham Lincoln, Freemason" delivered in Harmony Lodge No. 17 EA.A.M. in Washington D.C., January 28, 1914. Dr. Carman was fully cognizant of the apparent contradiction in the issue under discussion and he openly acknowledged it in his very brief introduction: "The subject of my remarks this evening will be Abraham Lincoln, Freemason. It may be regarded as somewhat presumptuous to give this address this title, when Lincoln is not considered as one of the Masonic Presidents of the United States, and while" Abraham Lincoln and Freemasonry" might be deemed by some as a preferable title, Abraham Lincoln, Freemason, is nevertheless the subject."4 In the just and righteous life of the President, Dr. Carman perceived a standard of conduct that every Freemason could use as a rule and guide to compare his own life. "Comparison has been heretofore made between Abraham Lincoln and one of our first most excellent Grand Masters, in his virtuous and amiable conduct, in his unfeigned piety to God and in his inflexible fidelity to his trust, the Hiram who was also slain, and like him, his memory is not dimmed by the passing years."5

Dr. Carman was not alone in his judgment. A swell of patriotic reminiscence swept the country and gained momentum and strength during the period when preparations for the centennial of the birth of the sixteenth president were underway. And this wave of interest did not subside or break, but continued to inundate the country with monumental sculptures which returned the visage of Lincoln from distant history to the current scene. During this period several large historic theme parks were established in territories where Lincoln had trod and a torrent of literature poured forth which revealed and interpreted new facts from the life of this inscrutable individual.

"The most striking fact of our time, of a psychological kind, is the growth of Lincoln's fame since the earth closed over his remains. The word Lincolniana has now been added to our dictionary. This indicates that kind of literature under that name, extensive enough to be separately classified, catalogued, advertised, marketed and collected into distinct libraries has grown up. There is a Lincolniana cult among US..."6

With this affirmation Dr. Carman could have simply written, without any reflection, "the cult of Lincolniana" an appellation which he inherited from his father Ezra Ayers Carman who personally and directly experienced the horrors of the cruel and bloody Civil War. The elder Carman, in civilian life a teacher of mathematics from Tennessee, had his christening in battle at Bull Run on July 22, 1862. Later, he participated in the battle of Gettysburg as a colonel, with the New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. In total, he fought in twenty three battles, and at the end of the war, in March 1865, he was brevetted to the rank of Brigadier General for "gallant and meritorious services during the war."

As a researcher and writer, General Carman remained committed to the subject of the Civil War up to the end of his life. As an expert historian with the Antietam Battlefield Board he participated in the assembly of maps depicting the disposition of forces and battle sites for the Antietam Atlas which was published by the War Department. In addition, he authored two
hundred and twenty war articles for the Encyclopedia Americana and was highly regarded as an authority on all matters pertaining to the civil war. The personal archives of Ezra A. Carman are maintained by The New Jersey Historical Society. They contain "a reflection of his great admiration of Abraham Lincoln, noting and praising his originality evidenced during the Illinois Senate race against Senator Douglas."7 They also include his recollection of attending and sweltering in mass political meetings at that time.

These recollections apparently are the source of the "cult of Lincolniana" quote that originated in the Carman family. And knowing the life history and fate of General Carman, it is not surprising that his son, Louis Dale Carman, turned the collecting of Lincolniana into an intellectual diversion that lasted over his lifetime.

And being a man of action and dynamism, quite naturally, Dr. Carman was not only a member, but an active participant in many social and fraternal organizations of that day. But the Order of Freemasons occupied a special place among all of them. He was a Worshipful Master of Harmony Lodge, No. 17 (Washington, D. C.)8 and was also affiliated with Almas Temple of the Mystic Shrine; Columbia Commandery No.2, Knights Templar; the Albert Pike Consistory of the Scottish Rite; Eureka Chapter, No.4, Royal Arch Masons; the Tall Cedars of Lebanon; and the Masonic Veteran Association. Other organizations in which he held membership included: The Loyal Legion, Order of Washington, and Sons of the American Revolution.9

Such an active and fruitful social life helped Dr. Carman locate like-thinking individuals for his passion and many of these became life long friends. He was in continuing correspondence with publishers, book stores, and collectors of Lincolniana. And all of them were bound together by a feeling of patriotic pride in the nation's history, purity of intentions and designs. Fragments of this correspondence have been preserved among the documents in the collection, including a letter from Optometrist Dr. Wesley Francis Penrose, from Chicago, Illinois, dated 3 December 1925 which clearly confirms the idealistic intentions of this circle of enthusiasts. "I am sending, as per your request, a copy of my booklet, "Oh for Another Lincoln". At the present time I am living a psychic Lincoln life. May the spirit of Lincoln ever prevail and I hope you are as happy in your thoughts of my hero as I am. "10

Many of these collectors of Lincolniana were Masonic brothers who not only collected literature about the Sixteenth President of the V.S., but also were authors of works about his life and activities. And with these, Dr. Carman formed a particularly warm and friendly relationship. One of these brother Masons was John W. Starr, Jr., from Millersburg, Pennsylvania, who regularly sent Dr. Carman his published works, always with his inimitable salutation, "For my good friend Dr. L. D. Carman with best wishes." In his own reminisces Mr. Starr noted that their friendship began "A few years ago, you [Dr. Carman] kindly presented me with your admirable address on "Abraham Lincoln, Freemason," in response to a request of mine, which I greatly appreciated both as a collector of Lincolniana and a member of the Fraternity.. . "11

Thanks to the open contacts and close personal relationship between the collectors of Lincolniana, the collection of Dr. Louis D. Carman was widely known and highly regarded in their circles. A series of research papers concerning the bibliography and literature about Lincoln take note of Dr. Carman's collection as one of the most important in the country. In that regard, the collection of Dr. Carman was, relatively recently, mentioned in the published work "Preserving Lincoln for Ages: Collectors, Collections, and Our Sixteen President"12 by Ralph Geoffrey Newman, a prominent bibliographer and bookseller in Chicago.

The above mentioned commentaries provide confirmation that The House of the Temple Library possesses one of the nation's finest collections of Lincolniana. This collection empha
sizes the contribution of Abraham Lincoln's thoughts and ideals to America and the world. It deserves to be featured prominently in official nationwide publicity about the important bi-centennial celebration devoted to the memory of our sixteenth president and to the truly American ideals of Freedom and Democracy.

Abraham Lincoln was one of our greatest Presidents and he remains an iconic figure in American history. The story of his life is one of commitment to the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equal opportunity. His unwavering dedication to preserving the V nion and his actions to end slavery are the achievements for which he is best remembered. His writings on slavery, freedom, justice, and Divine Providence are also important elements of his legacy to America. The Carman Collection will provide collateral public exposure of the ideals and
purposes of the Masonic Fraternity and Scottish Rite Masonry by explaining some of the contributions that Freemasonry has made to the nation and the world. There is no doubt that Abraham Lincoln thought and wrote about many of the same philosophical issues that are at the center of Masonic thought. Numerous Masonic authors have noted that the sixteenth president embodied many moral and Masonic characteristics which every worthy brother should strive to emulate. These are the same principles and ideals that form the pillars of Masonry and support the government of our country.

The brochure "Freemasonry's National Treasure," which is available to all visitors of the House of the Temple, lists the Abraham Lincoln Collection as one of the important special collections of the library. This Lincolniana collection is an impressive monument to the principles and ideas which are the basis of American Democracy. Freemasonry's National Treasures at The House of the Temple are open to the public. The Lincolniana Collection of Dr. Carman is among them and it is awaiting interested readers and researchers.