RIP Reese Harrison

I just heard that Bro. Reese Harrison passed away on August 29, 2025. He could be outspoken at times, but always devoted and knowledgeable.

Reese Lenwood Harrison, Jr., of San Antonio, Texas, passed away on August 29, 2025. Born January 5, 1938, he devoted his life to the law, to military service, to his church and community, and above all to Freemasonry, where his record of service and leadership stands among the most distinguished in Texas history.

A graduate of Baylor University and Southern Methodist University School of Law, Reese was admitted to the bar in 1962 and began his career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. He later became a senior partner, CEO, and litigation chair at Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison & Tate, and practiced with Clark Hill PLC. Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and nationally recognized for his litigation work, he was consistently named among Best Lawyers in America and Texas Super Lawyers.

In addition to his distinguished legal career, Reese served nearly 35 years in the Texas Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve, retiring as a Colonel and later receiving a brevet promotion to Brigadier General. He was honored with the Major General Paul D. Straw Trophy in 1991 for exemplary military and civic service.

A devoted husband and proud father of two daughters, Reese was also deeply active in civic, charitable, and heritage organizations, including the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Trinity Baptist Church, the Sons of the Republic of Texas, and Freemasonry, where he held many national and international offices. He will be remembered as a man of service, leadership, and faith who gave tirelessly to his country, profession, and community.

His Masonic career is quite extensive, and it’s almost impossible to sum it up quickly…so I won’t try. Raised in Albert Pike Lodge No. 1169 (1959), Reese went on to serve as Worshipful Master (1969–70) and later Cibolo Lodge No. 151 (2004–05). He served as District Deputy Grand Master (1982), District Education Officer (1997–2000), Grand Orator (1987), and the President of the Masters, Wardens, and Secretaries Association. He received numerous honors, including the Golden Trowel Award, the Henry Price Medal (Massachusetts), and the Pierpoint Edwards Medal (Connecticut). He served as Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Texas in 2004.

Reese was exalted in San Antonio Chapter No. 381 (1959), Royal Arch Masons, where he served as Excellent High Priest and long-time Treasurer. He was District Deputy Grand High Priest (1971) and Most Excellent Grand High Priest of Texas in 2014. In Cryptic Masons, Reese was greeted in San Antonio Council No. 14 (1960), serving as Thrice Illustrious Master. He was District Deputy Grand Master (1971, 1974) and Most Illustrious Grand Master of Texas in 2018. In Templary, he was knighted in San Antonio Commandery No. 7 (1960), where he served as Eminent Commander (1974). He was recognized with the Commander’s Merit Award, the Knight Templar Cross of Honor (2001), and the ranks of Knight Commander of the Temple (1992) and Knight Grand Cross of the Temple (1999) by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar USA.

Reese received the 32° in 1959, invested a KCCH in 1971, and coroneted 33° Inspector General in 1979. He held multiple presiding offices in the Valley of San Antonio, including Venerable Master and Wise Master, and served as Personal Representative of the SGIG. He was also active in the Scottish Rite Research Society.

Reese was created a Noble of Alzafar Shrine (1959), later serving as Potentate in 1979 and President of the International Past Potentates Association (1985–86). He served as Monarch of Omala Grotto (1979), longtime Zone Director, and national officer. Reese was also active in the Royal Order of Jesters, Order of Quetzalcoatl, and the Cabiri.

Reese held some of the highest offices in Masonry internationally:

• Governor General (1998–2000), Regent, and recipient of the Knight Grand Cross of York in the York Rite Sovereign College of North America
• Grand Master General (2004–2005) and later Grand Treasurer-General in the Knights of the York Cross of Honour
• Sovereign Grand Preceptor (2003–2007) and later Grand Treasurer in the Sovereign Order of Knights Preceptor 
• Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign (2006–2007) in the United Grand Imperial Council of the Red Cross of Constantine of the USA and its Jurisdictions
• Past Chief Adept of Texas College, IX° (1992), and Knight Grand Cross (1999) in the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis
• Most Excellent Great Chief of the Grand Council of the USA (1996) in the Knight Masons.
• Most Venerable Sovereign Grand Master of the USA (1999) for the Allied Masonic Degrees.
• Most Worthy Grand Master (USA, 2016–2017) in the Order of St. Thomas of Acon
• Life Member (1967) and Substitute Provincial Grand Master of the USA in the Royal Order of Scotland
• Most Illustrious Grand Chancellor (2007) in the Grand College of Rites
• Most Honorable Commander General (2003–2007) in the Masonic Order of the Bath
• Most Eminent Grand Preceptor of the Grand College of America, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests 
• Master Councilor, Chevalier, Legion of Honor, Executive Officer for Texas, and Grand Master of DeMolay International (1982–83) in the Order of DeMolay 

He was also a member of the Order of High Priesthood, Silver Trowel, Knights Crusaders of the Cross, National Sojourners, Heroes of ’76, High Twelve International, Order of the Eastern Star, Order of the Amaranth, Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots, Texas Lodge of Research, Philalethes Society, Scottish Rite Research Society, and Alabama Confederate Military Lodge of Research

Across more than six decades, Reese rose from Blue Lodge leadership to the highest councils of the Craft worldwide. His dedication, intellect, and unwavering commitment will long be remembered by his brethren in Texas and around the globe.

Grand York Rite of Washington

Well, now I only have one more official visit to perform as Deputy General Grand High Priest. This weekend I visited the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Washington, the Grand Council of Royal & Select Masters of Washington, and the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Washington. My Templar counterpart and I flew into Seattle on Thursday where a good friend, Companion, and Sir Knight picked us up from the airport and took us to brunch. The Right Eminent Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Encampment also flew in after us along with a distinguished Alabama Sir Knight.

Friday morning the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Washington met and I had the pleasure of representing the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International and the General Grand High Priest. It's always a pleasure attending Washington as it is a second Masonic home for me as much of my Masonic journey involved coming to Washington. Friday afternoon the Grand Council of Royal & Select Masters of Washington met followed by the Grand Banquet where I assisted the Grand High Priest in presenting several awards to deserving Companions.

Saturday morning I attended the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Washington where I watched two friends receive honorary membership in the Grand Commandery and the Illustrious Knight of the Triangle. The Illustrious Knight of the Triangle is awarded to Sir Knights who have given exceptional and dedicated service to the Commandery. I then attended the installation of a good friend and Sir Knight as Right Eminent Grand Commander of Washington. Saturday afternoon, several of us went to a brewery north of Seattle and hung out with old friends, and made new ones. We then traveled to southern Seattle and had dinner with old friends.

This morning I'm on my way home to be with my Mother: Happy Mother's Day!!!

Grand York Rite of Washington

Another Grand York Rite session has been completed. The Northwest Department Commander and I flew in Thursday morning and the General Grand Ambassador for Washington picked us up. The day was filled with the Holy Order of High Priesthood, Thrice Illustrious Master, the Reuben Baer Past Commanders Association, and the Memorial Service. During lunch, I was informed that I was joining Tacobat Grotto of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm.

With Friday morning came the 138th Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Washington where I had the pleasure of representing the Most Excellent General Grand High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International. Once the business of the meeting was completed, I, with the assistance of several Past Grand High Priests of Washington, installed the newly elected Grand High Priest and his officers.

Friday afternoon was the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Washington. That evening was the Banquet of the Grand York Rite of Washington where I assisted in presenting several awards from the Grand Chapter and General Grand Chapter. I'd like to thank the now Junior Past Grand High Priest of Washington for his diligence and hard work during the past Capitular year.

The Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Washington met Saturday morning where I was introduced along with the Grand Commander and Grand Captain General of Idaho. The Grand Commanderies of Oregon, Idaho, and Washington meet within a month of each other and I'm excited to see that my fellow Grand Generalissimos are wanting to work with each other and share ideas in preparation for our year in the Grand East.

Tonight is going to be dinner with friends before I fly home tomorrow and then back to work.

The Grotto

Officially known as "The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm" (M.O.V.P.E.R.), the Grotto is a social organization opened to all Master Masons in good standing; At the time that the Grotto formed, the Shrine required one to be a 32° Scottish Rite Mason or a Knights Templar in the York Rite to join. Its slogan is "Good Fellowship" and encourages fun and frivolity. According to the Supreme Council website, its purpose is:

To bring a quality of SYMPATHY and GOOD FELLOWSHIP into life, not only to member Prophets, but to everybody. An atmosphere of good, clean fun and frolic prevails at all times.

The Twelve Commandments of the Grotto

1. To draw the Master Masons of different Lodges into close and more friendly relations. 
2. To create and maintain a spirit of fraternity among us. 
3. To discount jealousy, enmity and ill feeling. 
4. To teach us that we are not only members of one Blue Lodge, but belong to the fraternity at large. That there are good Masons outside of our Blue Lodge and they are worthy friends and companions. 
5. To build up and strengthen the character and individuality of the Mason and to teach, recognize and develop the principles of Masonry outside the Lodge room. 
6. To teach that a Mason is not judged by his actual appearance or worldly wealth. 
7. The Grotto meets all Masons on the level, not figuratively but literally, and teaches that Masons are brothers on the street as well as in the Lodge room. 
8. That Masonry must not be used as a means of advancing the material interest of any man. 
9. To get out of the rut into which we too often fall. 
10. To forget our cares, for there is good in all of us. 
11. The GROTTO is a social organization for Master Masons.

There are Grottoes spread throughout the United States and Canada. Membership in the Grotto has included four US Presidents: Harding, FDR, Truman, and Ford.

One description I saw of the Grotto is that it was a "reaction to dry, pseudo-scholastic freemasonry." Someone on Reddit described it as "less uptight than the shrine, more shenanigans, totally goofy, totally fun."

This organization is governed by a body known as the Supreme Council which is presided over by the Grand Monarch along with a number of other officers, elected and appointed.

The basic organizational unit is known as a Grotto. Originally all Grotto names were to be of Persian character derivation. The Grotto is presided over by a Monarch. The other officers of the Grotto are:

Chief Justice

Master of Ceremonies

Venerable Prophet

Marshall

Captain of the Guard

Sentinel

Chaplain

Secretary

Treasurer

Grottoes can come together and form Associations that serve as a state or regional assembly which is presided over by a President.

The Grotto traces its history back to the late 19th century in Hamilton, NY (230-miles northwest of NYC), where Masons were a group of Masons wanted to keep the brotherhood alive, even outside of just conferring degrees. One Brother, Leroy Fairchild, became a ringleader of pranksters which soon became known as the Fairchild Deviltry Committee. This group, growing in numbers and popularity, decided to formalize. They met on September 10, 1889, and elected Bro. Fairchild as their official leader. By May 1890, it became obvious that they needed to form a larger governing body to spread this order.

On June 13, 1890, the members came together and formed the Supreme Council of the Mystical Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. At this meeting, they adopted the Constitution and Statues of the Supreme Council and elected the necessary officers. The following were elected as officers of the Supreme Council:

Grand Monarch: Thomas L. James 

Deputy Grand Monarch: LeRoy Fairchild

Grand Chief Justice: George H. Raymond

Grand Master of Ceremonies: J. C. Terry

Grand Treasurer: William M. West

Grand Secretary: Sidney D. Smith

Grand Keeper of the Archives: Oren Root

Grand Orator: James B. Murray

Venerable Grand Prophet: Unknown 

Trustees: U. C. Van Vleck, Adon N. Smith, and D. B. West

The Grand Monarch then appointed the following officers:

Grand Captain of the Guard: Thomas H. Beal

Grand Alchemist: J. F. Gregory

Standard Bearer: Samuel J. Todd

Grand Marshal: John Cunningham

Grand Steward: J. W. Clark

Deputy Grand Chief Justice: B. J. Stimson

Deputy Grand Master of Ceremonies: George Beal

All of the officers were installed by the George H. Raymond, the Grand Chief Justice. One of the first items of business that they performed was granting a dispensation to the first official Grotto in Hamilton, NY. They then approved the Obligation, established committees, and the badge of the order.

The Supreme Council would meet again on June 11, 1891, where they would issue a dispensation for a second Grotto; they would issue two later in the same year. On June 27, 1893, the Supreme Council again met and issued dispensations for five Grottoes. At this meeting, the Grand Monarch, Thomas James, retired and relinquished the leadership. Adon Smith would be elected as the next Grand Monarch which he would serve in this capacity until 1899. In 1902, the Supreme Council would move to elect new officers on an annual basis.

George Beal, the first Deputy Grand Master of Ceremonies, is considered the author of the original ritual of the order, but did have assistance. The current ritual is said to take a large cast of characters and is said to be based upon an ancient Persian manuscript found in Tehran. As the Blue Lodge legend centers on King Solomon, King Hiram of Tyre, and the Grand Master Hiram Abiff, the Grotto surrounds the legend of Al Mokanna, the "Veiled Prophet". According to myth, Al Mokanna lived sometime between the seventh and eighth centuries. Supposedly, he gave prophecies from behind a veil, thus the name "Veiled Prophet."

As the red fez identifies Shriners and the pillbox caps identifies members of the Scottish Rite, a member of the Grotto can be easily identified by their headgear. For the Grotto, members wear a black fez with red tassel and a depiction of the head of Al Mokanna in the center with the name of the Grotto above it (see pic).

The Grotto started supporting a charitable in June 1949 when they decided to give aid to children with cerebral palsy. In 1969, the charity expanded by adopting Dental Care for Children with Special Needs program in conjunction with the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. According to the Grotto:

Dental care for the handicapped children is the answer to a long standing medical need. By virtue of their handicaps many children cannot receive traditional dental service because they are unable to sit for long periods of time.

Like the Daughters of the Nile with the Shrine, the Grotto has some female auxiliary bodies associated with it. Sometime prior to 1917, the Mysterious Order Witches of Salem was founded as a female auxiliary to the Grotto. The basic organizational units were known as Caldrons while the national governing body was known as the Supreme Caldron which was presided over by a Supreme Enchantress. This group would lead to the Daughters of Mokanna which came about somewhere between 1920 and 1922 after a schism occurred. The Daughters met in Caldrons as well and their governing body kept the name Supreme Caldron, but this group is led by a "Supreme Mighty Chosen One." They assist Grottoes as well as the Grotto's charity. To join, one must be the wife, widow, or female relative of a member of a Veiled Prophet.

Freemasonry Squared has a video on YouTube: 

References

1. About the Grotto. (n.d.). Retrieved from Omala Grotto: http://grotto.albertpikedemolay.org/about.html 

2. Appendant Bodies: Masonic. (n.d.). Retrieved from Grand Lodge of Texas: https://grandlodgeoftexas.org/appendant-body-category/masonic/ 

3. Become a Member. (n.d.). Retrieved from Daughters of Mokanna: https://daughtersofmokanna.com/ 

4. Can anyone explain the Grotto to me? (2019, January 25). Retrieved from Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/freemasonry/comments/ajuepb/can_anyone_explain_the_grotto_to_me/ 

5. Grotto. (2011). Retrieved from Freemason Information: http://freemasoninformation.com/what-is-freemasonry/family-of-freemasonry/grotto/ 

6. History. (n.d.). Retrieved from Grottoes of North America: https://scgrotto.org/about/history 

7. Masonic "Fun" and Youth Groups. (2006). In S. Morris, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry. New York: Penguin Group Inc. 

8. Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_Order_of_Veiled_Prophets_of_the_Enchanted_Realm 

9. The Grotto. (n.d.). Retrieved from Masonic Dictionary: http://www.masonicdictionary.com/grotto.html 

10. What is the Grotto M.O.V.P.E.R.? (n.d.). Retrieved from Museum of Fezology: http://fezmuseum.com/grotto-and-related/