Good morning, boys and girls.........<br /><br />Steve: "each additional one, such as his Masonic claims, are simply more of the same. Taken out of context, unsubstantiated, invented"<br /><br />In Aldrin’s autobiography, Return to Earth, the only mention of Masonry is when he says that he temporarily lost his grandfather’s Masonic ring that he wanted to take to the Moon while suiting up for the mission. He says nothing about that banner, nor of the “SPECIAL DEPUTATION” he undertook for the Texas Grand Lodge on the Moon. However, the charter of the Tranquility Lodge in Waco indicates it was to “claim Masonic Territorial Jurisdiction” on the Moon for the Lodge. So Aldrin apparently claimed the Moon for Texas Masons. The whole thing, frankly, sounds like a fraternity prank; except that there is no mention of the banner whatsoever in his book nor at the site of the Supreme Council. It is a secret, just like the ceremony was. Since the mission, timed to the second, did not allow for much playtime, perhaps it was more important than it seems.<br />This at least demonstrates that Buzz knows how to keep the Craft’s secrets (though Neil, Mason or not, is even more close-mouthed).<br /><br />It is perhaps all the more remarkable then, that Aldrin performed a rite that he was not so reticent about discussing. It is another one of his “firsts” — he was the first man to perform a religious ritual on another world, shortly after landing.<br />Here’s how he described it in Return to Earth:<br /><br />"During the first idle moment in the LM before eating our snack, I reached into my personal preference kit and pulled out two small packages which had been specially prepared at my request. One contained a small amount of wine, the other a small wafer. With them and a small chalice from the kit, I took communion on the moon, reading to myself from a small card I carried on which I had written the portion of the Book of John used in the traditional communion ceremony." (p. 233)<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>