The Society of Blue Friars
An Elite Masonic Appendant Body
The Society of Blue Friars (SBF) is a highly exclusive Masonic organization established in 1932. It functions as an "appendant body" within the broader structure of Free-Masonry. This designation signifies that it is an optional, invitational organization for Masons who have already achieved the foundational rank of Master Mason, rather than a prerequisite lodge that confers core degrees.
From its inception, the Society has cultivated a reputation for being "probably the smallest, and certainly one of the oddest, concordant bodies in Masonry". This "oddness" is not a pejorative but a deliberate marker of distinction, rooted in its unique, non-democratic governance and its highly specialized, academic purpose. It does not exist to perform ritual or confer a progressive system of degrees, but rather to function as a learned society or an honorary academy within the Masonic fraternity.
Founding and Singular Purpose
The Society of Blue Friars was formed in 1932 by J. Raymond Shute II. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the SBF was founded with a mission of singular focus. The Society's regulations state its "explicit purpose" is "to recognize Masonic authors". This raison d'être—to identify and honor excellence in Masonic research and writing—is the sole function of the organization and has been strictly maintained for nearly a century.
The Name "Blue Friars"
The name "Society of Blue Friars" is not arbitrary but a dense, multi-layered symbolic construct, with each component chosen to reflect the Society's Masonic affiliation and scholarly purpose.
The "Friar", A Dual-Meaning Title
The title "Friar" was selected for its dual symbolism. First, it directly relates to the French word frère, meaning "Brother". As "Brother" is the standard and universal term by which Free-Masons address one another, this choice roots the Society firmly in Masonic tradition and fraternity.
Second, the title "deliberately "hark[s] back to monastic traditions", specifically to "the monks of the Middle Ages, the ones who wrote most of the books in those days". This allusion immediately reinforces the Society's core mission of recognizing authors and scholars, positioning its members as the modern inheritors of a long scribal and intellectual tradition.
Interestingly, the Society's governance model creates a slight conceptual tension in its chosen titles. It is ruled by a "Grand Abbot", yet its members are "Friars". Historically, an abbot presides over a fixed, cloistered monastery, whereas friars (like the Dominicans or Franciscans) were often mendicant scholars and preachers who operated in the wider world. This suggests the SBF's founders were likely acting as romantics, selecting the most evocative authoritative ("Abbot") and scholarly ("Friar") titles from medieval monasticism without concern for strict historical fidelity.
Emblem of the Craft
The "Blue" component of the name is equally symbolic. The color blue is not merely decorative; as the Society's own literature notes, "Blue is the basic color for Masonic regalia". The term "Blue Lodge" is the common vernacular for the foundational Symbolic Lodge, where Masons receive the first three degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason). By incorporating "Blue," the Society signals that its foundation is squarely within the universal "Craft" of Free-Masonry, and its members are first and foremost Master Masons.
When combined, the name "Blue Friar" can be interpreted as a poetic and concise mission statement, or kenning: "Master Mason (Blue) Brother-Scholar (Friar)."
Historical Coincidence vs. Symbolic Intent
Research into the term "Blue Friar" also reveals a fascinating, though unrelated, historical fact. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Franciscan friars who established missions in colonial New Mexico were known for wearing blue-colored robes, a deviation from the traditional gray or brown habits of the order seen elsewhere.
While this historical detail of actual blue-robed friars underscores the evocative power of the name, it is a coincidence. The SBF's etymology is confirmed to be an intentional, symbolic combination of "Blue" (for Craft Masonry) and "Friar" (for "Brother" and "Scholar").
A Singular Authority
The Society of Blue Friars' reputation as one of the "oddest" bodies in Masonry stems directly from its governance, which is deliberately autocratic and stands in stark contrast to the democratic principles that govern virtually all other Masonic lodges and bodies.
The Tripartite, Autocratic Leadership
The core of the SBF consists of just three officers: the Grand Abbot, the Deputy Grand Abbot, and the Secretary-General.
The presiding officer is the Grand Abbot, who "retains his office as long as he wishes, or as long as he lives", or, as stated in the regulations, "serves at his pleasure". This is not an elected position. Furthermore, the Grand Abbot personally appoints both the Secretary-General and, most critically, the Deputy Grand Abbot, who is his "designated successor". This creates a self-perpetuating leadership, entirely independent of a member vote.
Absolute Power and Exclusivity
The Grand Abbot's power is total. While he may receive nominations for new Friars, "the final decision as to who shall be selected rests entirely with him".
Most significantly, the Society's regulations "can be changed only at the pleasure of the Grand Abbott". This structure makes the SBF a functional autocracy. This system appears to be a deliberate feature, not a flaw. By vesting all constitutional and membership power in a single individual, the founder, J. Raymond Shute II, ensured that the Society's singular, academic purpose—to "recognize Masonic authors"—could never be diluted, expanded, or altered by factionalism, popular vote, or a desire for broader membership.
Operations: An Honor, Not a Club
The SBF's operations reinforce its status as an honor society. The Society has "neither dues nor fees". This removal of all transactional elements is critical; one cannot buy entry or maintain membership through payment. This, combined with an extremely limited membership—regulations state that the "total membership is not over twenty"—elevates the status of "Friar" from that of a "member" to that of a "laureate."
Further distinguishing it from normative Masonry, the SBF has "no fixed ritual or ceremonies", focusing its entire energy on its academic mission.
The Annual Consistory and the Friar's Lecture
The Society's academic mission is fulfilled through a process that brilliantly synthesizes exclusivity and accessibility.
The Yearly Gathering
For the first 12 years of its existence (1932–1944), the SBF was a purely epistolary organization, conducting "all its business by correspondence". On February 20, 1944, it held its first "open meeting," known as a "Consistory," in Washington, D.C..
This event has been held annually ever since, with the exception of 1945 due to wartime constraints. The Consistory takes place in February, as a component of the annual "Masonic Week" festivities in the Washington, D.C. area, which is sponsored by the Allied Masonic Degrees. While the Society itself is highly exclusive, its annual Consistory is "open to all Masonic Brethren".
The Proclamation and the Paper
The central event of the Consistory is the proclamation of the "one new Friar" appointed for that year. At the first 11 gatherings, papers were delivered by various senior officers. However, at the 12th Annual Consistory, on February 19, 1956, a new tradition was established: the newly proclaimed Blue Friar was invited to address the assembly.
Since then, the new Friar is expected to "deliver a research paper" or "lecture". This operational model reveals the SBF's true function: it acts as a high-level curator for the Masonic world. The Grand Abbot selects the year's most distinguished Masonic author, and the Consistory serves as the public platform to present that author's latest work to the fraternity at large.
Dissemination of Scholarship
The Society's purpose is not just to recognize authors but to disseminate their work. These lectures are not lost. In earlier times, the papers were "sometimes printed in the Miscellanea of the Allied Masonic Degrees". In more recent years, they have been published in The Philalethes magazine.
A collection of these papers was also published in book form as A Daily Advancement in Masonic Knowledge: The Collected Blue Friar Lectures, edited by Friars Wallace McLeod and S. Brent Morris.
A Roll Call of Masonic Erudition
The prestige of the Society of Blue Friars is best understood by examining its leadership and the roster of scholars it has honored.
Resolving the Line of Succession
An analysis of the SBF's leadership provides a perfect, real-world demonstration of its unique succession plan. Data from 2023 lists S. Brent Morris as the Grand Abbot and Arturo de Hoyos as the Deputy Grand Abbot. However, the Society's official website, promoting its 2026 Annual Consistory, lists Arturo de Hoyos as the new Grand Abbot and Mark A. Tabbert as the new Deputy Grand Abbot.
This is not a contradiction but a clear example of the Society's regulations in action. As the "designated successor", Arturo de Hoyos ascended to the position of Grand Abbot upon the demise or "pleasure" of S. Brent Morris. The new Grand Abbot, de Hoyos, then exercised his authority to appoint his own successor, Mark A. Tabbert.
Current Officers of the Society of Blue Friars (as of 2026)
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Grand Abbot | Arturo de Hoyos, bf |
| Deputy Grand Abbot | Mark A. Tabbert, bf |
| Secretary General | Richard E. Fletcher, bf |
A Roster of Notable Friars
Membership in the SBF represents a "who's who" of 20th and 21st-century Masonic research. The roster demonstrates the breadth and international character of the authors recognized by the Society, ranging from foundational esotericists to mainstream historians.
| Friar Name | Initiation Year | Location / Affiliation | Notability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur E. Waite | 1938 (Friar No. 8) | England | Prolific occultist, esotericist, and Masonic scholar |
| Wallace E. McLeod | 1984 | Ontario, Canada | Masonic researcher and co-editor of the Blue Friar Lectures |
| John M. Hamill | 1988 | England | Prominent Masonic historian and librarian |
| S. Brent Morris | 1998 | Maryland, USA | Prolific author, former Grand Abbot of the SBF |
| Arturo de Hoyos | 2000 | Virginia, USA | Current Grand Abbot, prominent Scottish Rite scholar |
| Alain Bernheim | 2007 | Switzerland | Esteemed Masonic historian, Fellow of Quatuor Coronati Lodge |
| Christopher L. Hodapp | 2012 (Friar No. 101) | Indiana, USA | Author of Free-Masons for Dummies and influential blogger |
| John Bizzack | 2024 (Friar No. 112) | N/A | Masonic author |
| Richard ('Ric') Berman | 2025 | England / USA | Prolific historian of 18th and 19th-century Free-Masonry |
The Case of the Conflated Societies
A significant source of public confusion surrounds the Society of Blue Friars, which is often mistakenly associated with the world of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. This investigation reveals that the SBF has no connection to Sherlock Holmes, but the confusion is the result of a complex, multi-layered thematic and biographical coincidence.
No Canonical Connection
The Society of Blue Friars is unequivocally not a Sherlockian organization. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whereas the SBF is a real-world Masonic body. Analysis of the 56 short stories and four novels that constitute the "Canon" confirms that "no fraternities or sororities are mentioned in the Canonical stories", and the Society of Blue Friars is no exception.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Masonic Membership
The first layer of confusion—a compelling red herring—is the creator, not the character. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was, in fact, a Free-Mason. His Masonic record is well-documented:
- He was initiated on January 26, 1887, at Phoenix Lodge No. 257 in Southsea, Hampshire.
- He was passed (second degree) on February 23, 1887.
- He was raised (third or Master Mason degree) on March 23, 1887.
However, his involvement was described as "haphazard." He resigned in 1889, rejoined in 1902, and "finally withdrew in 1911". This timeline is the key to solving the case. Conan Doyle's affiliation with Free-Masonry ended in 1911 (he died in 1930). The Society of Blue Friars was founded in 1932. It is, therefore, chronologically impossible for Conan Doyle to have been a member or even to have known of its formation.
Deconstructing the "Commonplace Book"
The true source of the entanglement is not a person but a concept: the "commonplace book." This single concept creates a powerful, though illusory, bridge between the SBF and Sherlockiana.
- Holmes's Fictional Tool: Sherlock Holmes famously used "commonplace books" as his personal, analog database. He kept "numerous commonplace books" to organize his vast knowledge, filling them with newspaper reports, "intel on up-and-coming forgers", and other data he used for research in cases like "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger".
- The Sherlockian Publication: The confusion is amplified by the existence of a real-world periodic compilation of articles about Sherlock Holmes, published by his followers, that is literally titled THE COMMONPLACE BOOK.
- The Historical Practice and the Friar: This is the final link. The "commonplace book" tradition was a widespread intellectual practice used by writers and thinkers since antiquity to collect quotes and ideas. This practice of keeping florilegium (collections of excerpts) was "particularly popular within the mendicant orders of the Catholic church"—that is, among the very friars and monks to whom the Society of Blue Friars alludes with its name.
This analysis reveals a "conflation chain." The Society of Blue Friars (SBF) is named for historical friars. These historical friars kept commonplace books. The fictional Sherlock Holmes also kept commonplace books. Real Sherlock Holmes fans publish a journal called "The Commonplace Book." And as a final coincidence, Holmes's creator (Conan Doyle) was a Free-Mason, the parent organization of the SBF.
The SBF and Sherlockiana are two distinct domains that orbit—but never touch—a central, shared concept. The SBF honors the producers of knowledge (the "Friars"), while Holmes (and his fans) represent the users of that knowledge (the "commonplace book").
A Society of Authors, Not Detectives
The Society of Blue Friars is a unique, autocratic, and highly prestigious honor society within Free-Masonry. It is not a club to be joined, but an honor to be received. It possesses no ritual, charges no dues, and operates with a singular, unwavering purpose: to recognize the most accomplished Masonic authors and to provide a public platform for them to disseminate their scholarship to the entire fraternity. Its unconventional, anti-democratic structure is the very mechanism designed to protect this purely academic mission.
The perceived connection to Sherlock Holmes, while understandable, is purely thematic and coincidental. It is born from the shared, but separately applied, concept of the "commonplace book" and the biographical "red herring" of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's unrelated membership in the Masonic fraternity.
Ultimately, the Society of Blue Friars has no association with fictional detectives. Its legacy is found in its published lectures and in the distinguished roster of "erudite brothers" it has honored, whose real-world contributions are to the advancement of Masonic knowledge, history, and philosophy
Article By Antony R.B. Augay P∴M∴