Universe

There is an interesting Bible up for auction on eBay.

RARE DEMOLAY EDITION NEW TESTAMENT BOOK FRANK LAND

In case the hot link does not work, the complete URL is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300154604414

The box which houses the New Testament states: "Holman New Testament, DeMolay Edition, Officially Endorsed, Frank S. Land Grand Scribe."

As far as I know, the DeMolay emblem on the box is the 1920 - 1934 "blue shield" emblem.

The "blue shield" emblem was replaced with the 1934 - 1949 "red shield" emblem.

The emblem on the Bible is the 1949 - present (last) version of the DeMolay emblem.

My questions for Dad Dietzman, Pat King (AKA "head_honcho") and the other DeMolay scholars are:

Q 1: Do you think that this is the actual box that came with the Bible ?

Q 2: Did the International Fraternity House, and its predecessor, have such a large surplus of 1930s Bibles, that they were still selling them in the 1950s, after hot stamping them with the new 1949 emblem?

Q 3: What is the name of the predecessor organization to the International Fraternity House?

To me, there sure is a lot of mystery surrounding this Bible.

Thank you in advance to all who are able to help out on this one.

Sincerely,

Ken Stromquist

Bro. Ken,

You are quite right that there are serious conflicts among the "historical markers" on this item. The emblem on the box agrees generally with the period when Dad Land was "Grand Scribe", before the office was renamed Secretary-General, as indicated by the pritned page in the book which is shown on eBay.

The Cover bears the current Emblem would have to date from after the late 1940s, although it could be, as you point out, a late addition. The book COULD be a "facsimile" re-issue of an earlier book, which would explain the cover, but that would NOT explain the box having the old emblem on it.

From an antique Members Record Book from the 1920's/30's which I have, the members are admonished to "Buy DeMolay Jewelry from [an] Official Jeweler". The article indicates that L.G. Balfour was the only authorized manufacturer, although bogus jewelry was available, and that DeMolays should only purchase from someone who displayed a framed Certificate from Balfour as an "authorized dealer or agent". [Advisors were not permitted to act as authorized agents.]

I also seem to recall having seen printed information on a "Grand Council Sales Dept." although from what era I can not remember and I can not find the reference now.

All of this obvious preceded the "International Fraternity House" era, which was replaced by the "DeMolay and More Store" at HQ. A later Members Record Book, dated 1944, indicates that IFH was already in existence by then, although that was still in the "red emblem" era.

This doesn't answer the question about what the provenance of the New Testament for sale is, but perhaps it fills in some blanks on what the methods of sale for DeMolay products were at various times.

Respectfully and Fraternally,

Dale Dietzman