From the East
Brethren,
Greetings from the East!
March is going to be a busy month. First we have our Stated Communication on the 13th, followed the next week by the Spring School of Instruction on the 20th and 21st. Then on Bill Stout the 26th, we are hosting the Grand Master. The Master Mason degree we had planned for this month is being rescheduled so keep an eye out for notice.
With all this going on for us in March, I was thinking about what might have happened historically with Freemasonry this month and here are a couple of events:
March 3 – In 1753, George Washington received his Fellow Craft degree in Fredericksburg Lodge in Virginia March 5 – In 1792, The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was organized March 6 – In 1775, several black men, including one named Prince Hall, were initiated into Freemasonry in Boston marking the beginning of what became Prince Hall Masonry March 9 – In 1822, a national Masonic Congress was held in U.S. Capitol building in Washington DC
March 17 – In 1856, The Grand Lodge of Kansas was formed March 23 – In 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle received his 3rd degree March 25 – In 1902, Sir Winston Churchill received his 3rd degree in Studholme Lodge #1591, London As I look at this list, I am struck by the great men in the list, but perhaps more so by Prince Hall and his nameless brethren. These men were drawn to Freemasonry because it was founded on the ideals of liberty, equality, and peace. They petitioned Boston’s St. John’s Lodge and were rejected by colonial Freemasonry.
But that didn’t stop them. They petitioned Lodge No. 441 of the Grand Lodge of Ireland which was attached to the British forces stationed in Boston and formed African Lodge No. 1 and eventually formed their own Grand Lodge declaring independence from the United Grand Lodge of England.
I look forward to seeing you in lodge.
Fraternally,
Bill Stout – Worshipful Master, PM
From the South
Greetings from the South!
I was in the lodge room last week, Tuesday evening for practice and had arrived a little bit early and finding the Worshipful Master there as well. We were discussing some ideas that have recently surfaced about the lodge room. Curious about the measurements of a section of one of the walls, we briefly looked around for a measuring tape. Recalling having seen one in the recent past, we searched for a minute or so, but to no avail. However, we did come up with a thought at about the same time. Why not use something that is already in the lodge room used for measuring?
We quickly found just what we needed, the 24 inch gauge! It was available and worked quite well in an operative way. We measured out the area estimating the total distance and had the information we needed. The gauge was there the whole time, just waiting to be employed – we just had to remember that it was a working tool which was available to us.
In closing, be sure to think and rely on what you know to accomplish what you need to – you may be surprised at what you already know and the tools that you can find handy.
Looking forward to seeing you in the lodge soon !
Fraternally,
Chris Leuck, JW
From the Secretary
Brothers,
As busy as March will be, I want to appeal to those of you who at one point or another, sat in the Lodge during a degree and thought “I might like to do that one day”, in reference to a part in the ritual. Please know that we would welcome any additional participation in upcoming degrees.
The Master Mason Degree, date to be determined, presents many opportunities, small and large, to get involved in the ritual. Unless otherwise designated as a meeting night, a number of us gather at 7:00pm on Tuesday evenings to practice. Please consider joining us.
Fraternally,
Mike Hamrick, PM
Secretary