Bio:

Bro. Wes Latchford is a Risk Management Expert at Naval Safety Command in Norfolk, VA, where he assists Navy and Marine Corps commands in managing risks, making data-driven decisions, setting and achieving objectives, and improving performance. A retired “Navy Mustang,” he served as both a Naval Intelligence Officer and an enlisted submariner over a 22+ year career in the U.S. Navy. Wes is Past Master of Atlantic Lodge No. 2, A.F. & A.M., Norfolk, Virginia, and Lynnhaven Lodge No. 220, A.F. & A.M., Virginia Beach, Virginia, and serves as Division Provost for Masonic Division XI/Tidewater Region, District Educational Officer for the 56th Masonic District, and as a member of the Grand Lodge of Virginia’s Committee on Masonic Education. He is also a 33° Inspector General Honorary, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, United States of America, and serves as Director of Education for the Valley of Norfolk, Orient of Virginia.


Prepared Topics:

Dressed to the Nines: The symbolism of the Well-Dressed Mason – 20 Minutes
Is there some deeper meaning and symbolism to being “Dressed to the Nines” for Lodge? Is a reverence of attire somehow a part of our Craft? In this presentation, investigate the etymology of the number nine, the history of “to the nines” as an idiom meaning “to perfection,” the Nine Worthies and the Nine Muses of ancient lore and mythology, and how being “Dressed to the Nines” reflects our Masonic obligations.

The Infinity Stones – Achieving Harmony and Balance – 20 Minutes
In Marvel Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Infinity Stones are powerful gems with unique properties born out of the very beginning of the universe. Oh, and they also give the bearer phenomenal powers as well. In this presentation, get a closer look into the possible real-world equivalents of the Infinity Stones, their associations with developing our inner Lodge, and the application of these stones in achieving harmony and balance in our lives as Freemasons.

Revolutionary Freemasonry: American Freemasons in Rebellion Against Their King – 20-30 Minutes
Section II of James Anderson’s The Constitutions of the Free-Masons first published in 1723 states, “A Mason is a peaceable Subject to the Civil Powers, wherever he resides or works, and is never to be concern’d in Plots and Conspiracies against the Peace and Welfare of the Nation…” Why is it then – as American Freemasons – we not only condone but routinely celebrate the participation of Freemasons in the American War for Independence? In this presentation, explore the early history of Freemasonry in the American Colonies, the impact of the Great Schism (Ancients and Moderns) within American Lodges, and how other influences unique to North America would evolve into a distinctive brand of Masonry where individual Masons were free to declare “it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Solemn Strikes the Funeral Chime – Brother David Vinton – 20 – 30 Minutes
To thousands of American Masons, Brother David Vinton’s simple, poetic dirge has earned him the respect of every Brother who has marched the march of Solomon or prayed the soliloquy over a fallen Brother. In this presentation, discover the sad irony of the man who wrote these words, sung in Lodge rooms and at gravesides by thousands of Freemasons in America, who was himself buried without Masonic honors.

Before the Door of Every Well-Governed Lodge – The Tiler’s Sword – 20 Minutes
There stands a Tiler “with a drawn sword in his hand.” No symbol in Freemasonry is anything less than the idea symbolized. The Tiler’s sword, too, has a much greater significance to be explored. In this presentation, uncover some of the histories of the Tiler’s sword, its symbolism in our degree lectures, and its allegorical uses beyond that of a tool of defense against an invasion of privacy.

A Drone in the Hive of Nature – Where are You in Your Masonic Journey? – 20-30 Minutes
The symbolism of the beehive is “to be ever industrious ones, never sitting down contented while our fellow creatures around us are in want when it is in our power to relieve them without inconvenience to ourselves.” But Freemasonry is filled with allegory representing one thing when it is alluding to something else. In this presentation, explore the allegory of the beehive from the perspective of the bees themselves and explore how the last sentence in the story may be more important to our lives and the Craft than all the platitudes before it.

American Freemasonry in the Trenches – The Craft During the Great War” 20 – 30 Minutes
During World War I, Freemasons worldwide found themselves on opposing sides of a war which challenged the ideal of universal fraternity. At the time war broke out in 1914, four-fifths of the world’s Freemasons lived in the United States. How did American Lodges cope with their nation’s neutrality and subsequently their members heading “Over There”? What was the experience of a Freemason on the front lines, in the rear, in captivity, back home, and after the war? In this presentation, explore all these aspects of Freemasonry during the “War to End All Wars” and some of its impacts on American Freemasonry.

Masonic Protocol, Etiquette, and Decorum 20-30 Minutes
Civility and courteousness have existed in some way, shape, or form since the beginning of humanity. Collectively, the terms protocol, etiquette, and decorum refer to a set of rules, conventions, and norms that govern the behavior of people in general and in certain situations. An increasing lack of civility now permeates all facets of our lives and at every level of our interaction with others; it has been slowly creeping into our Lodges. In this presentation, discover how a Lodge and its Brethren who understand that proper protocol, etiquette, and decorum can not only be a bulwark against incivility within our Gentle Craft, but what Freemasonry can contribute for restoration of civility in society.

Travel Information: Wes is always happy to do presentations virtually and is available to speak in person at events in the Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore regions of Virginia, along with northeastern North Carolina. For non-local events up to 6 hours’ driving distance away from Hampton Roads (or farther away if flying), he respectfully requests that lodging and travel costs be reimbursed at a minimum.

Websites: NA