Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Season 1, Episode 1 Featured the Missing White House Cornerstone and the Alleged Freemasons' Connection

Brad Meltzer's Decoded , Season 1, Episode 1 premiered on History Channel Thursday night featuring the search for the missing White House cornerstone, allegedly linked to the Freemasons. The writer is curious about many things, and began his quest for "truth", initially alleging a secretive group containing members of America's elite from Presidents to astronauts has this artifact. Season 1, Episode 1 of Brad Meltzer's Decoded is a fast-moving program. But viewers may see an interesting attempt to be a "low calorie" version of Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura.

The White House Cornerstone Was Allegedly Laid in the Southwest Corner, as Stated during Season 1, Episode 1 of Brad Meltzer's Decoded

It's been more than 200 years since the White House cornerstone has been publicly seen. Meltzer's team of investigators who are trying to locate it include Scott Rolle (a former prosecutor), Christine McKinley (a mechanical engineer who's father was a Freemason) and Buddy Levy. They initially stand in front of the White House fence to give their opening theories.

Christine and Scott talk to a Freemason and White House historian Scott Brown, who said that Presidents going back to Teddy Roosevelt had been trying to find the White House cornerstone without success. He, too, wants to know where it's at. When confronted about whether the Freemasons know about it, Brown squirmed a bit, but couldn't give a definitive answer on Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Season 1, Episode 1. Later, they meet filmmaker Chris Pinto. Pinto has issues with the inner cabal of the Freemasons, who he thinks are hiding their plans for the "New World Order", charging that this group killed Captain William Morgan for revealing secrets, and that Masons still kill to guard their elite secrets.

Buddy goes to the Library of Congress to see its cornerstone. The official there doesn't really know anything about the White House cornerstone, other than stating there was a brass plaque with it. The library has only one document on this artifact, an anonymous letter from 1792 saying that the cornerstone was laid in the southwest corner.

Brad calls the trio, and tells them they can go meet some Freemasons to ask them some questions at the House of the Temple, full of symbols and historical relics that stymie the Brad Meltzer's Decoded cast on Season 1, Episode 1. They find that many of the elite of this nation have been Freemasons, and it appears that a cornerstone is in the exhibit area. Is it of the White House?

The Freemasons Admit that the US Capitol's Cornerstone is Missing on Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Season 1, Episode 1

Arturo de Hoyos lets down the group by stating that the displayed stone isn't what they're looking for. In the Temple Room, de Hoyos says that being a high degree Mason doesn't bring about many great benefits except the honor of being one. de Hoyos blows off the conspiracy theories, the scapegoating of Freemasons, while espousing the virtues of Freemasonry. He said that William Morgan wasn't a real Mason.

Author Brent Morris takes the trio to the library, where they find that Harry Truman's efforts to find the White House cornerstone were extensive. Pictures of massive underground renovations lead the group to quickly conclude that President Truman, a 33^rd Degree Freemason, secretly discovered this sought-after artifact. Truman did send uncovered stones (with Freemasonry markings) to Freemason temples, including the House of the Temple, but purportedly not the cornerstone. Morris even admitted that the US Capitol's cornerstone is missing, too, on Season 1, Episode 1 of Brian Meltzer's Decoded.

Eventually, Buddy talks to Jackson Polk, a filmmaker. He shows film of a man named Charlie digging under the US Capitol circa 1998 in the Senate area, where Polk thinks the cornerstone is at. But due to "politics," Charlie was stopped from digging more underside of the Senate, and had to go digging under the House area. He sees no important connection between the missing White House cornerstone and the US Capitol's.

Brad Meltzer's Decoded Is a "Low Calorie" Version of Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura If Season 1, Episode 1 is an Indication of Future Shows

In between meetings with officials and sightseeing, the trio discusses their findings and tries to reach conclusions, while Brad Meltzer hypothesizes alone in front of his blackboard. The group decides, after their quest, that the White House cornerstone is on the grounds (that Truman never found it after all), but that it's still got a mystique to it since it's not been found in modern times.

Season 1, Episode 1 of Brad Meltzer's Decoded was full of history and an interesting search, but what I saw was a "low calorie", less bombastic attempt to emulate truTV's Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura. This well-paced show will appeal more to history buffs who aren't avid conspiracy theorists concerned about what the elites are doing to society today, but more about the accounts of the distant past. Will this cast conclude anything controversial, or will they ultimately tow the line of what the elites want us to think, as they have ultimately here, finding no fault with the Freemasons, rightly or wrongly?

Sources:

"The White House", Brad Meltzer's Decoded, December 2, 2010, History Channel