Herbie

I had the honor of attending the Masonic Memorial service for a dear brother and friend Worshipful Brother Herbert "Herbie" Jacques last evening. Without a doubt one of the largest and most well done memorials I've ever attended.

WB Jerry Graham mentioned that Herbie was a Marine, a Marine's Marine. In talking with some friends and brothers a couple of days before the memorial I had referred to Herbie as a Mason's Mason.

While attending the memorial I couldn't help but to recall the passion that WB Herbie put into the apron presentation and the MM prayer when playing King of Tyre. Also, I fondly remember that he also played a villager in the 32nd degree in Bay City. The 32nd degree has a cast of about 50 brothers and you could always count on Herbie to show up in the crowd with a non speaking role of a simple villager....but he had a passion about that as well.

I've touched on this before and it gets brought up among certain circles of brothers.....there are legends of Freemasonry in our area and in other areas around the state and throughout the country.
Herbie was definitely a legend in his "own" time.....we jokingly say that certain people are legends in their own mind......but not Herbie.....he was truly a legend in his own time.

Having been in this great fraternity for thirty years I've come to know a few brothers like Herbie who in my mind were legends of Freemasonry. I wonder, will they ever be replaced by those in the ranks who are approaching that level of longevity and meaningful contributions to the craft.

Herbie and others who have gone before him can not be replaced....but it is my thought, hope, and prayer that there are brothers among us who will unwittingly and unknowingly slide into those roles and be an inspiration to all of us brothers.

One common thread which runs through these legendary brothers is a true passion and a strong love for the fraternity and the craft. Another thing common among those brothers was a genuine interest in the newly made brothers and praising those who take on new parts and responsibilities....their praise was usually done in a quiet manner, in private, and one on one. That praise from the legends goes a long way in building a brothers confidence in his new role.

If you were to ask Herbie and the others if they realized that they were legends in the fraternity.....they would all humbly disagree with you and point out that they were just doing their job and encouraging those taking on new responsibilities. They would say that Masonry is just one of the passions and loves of their life and seeing a brother grow brings them tremendous joy.

To Herbie and all the others who have gone before.....fare thee well my dear brother.....fare thee well

Are We Concerned about our Future??

While attending a district election on Tuesday evening, a thought kept going through my mind; are we really concerned about the future of the craft?

As most of you know the state of Michigan is going from 53 districts down to 28 at the direction of the Most Worshipful Grand Master. The elections are being held all around the state and several districts are being combined into one in most cases.

This election involved nine lodges. The current WM and Wardens and Past Masters of those effected lodges all had a vote in the election. If memory serves there were 33 brothers present who were eligible to vote.

Adding to the frustration of low voter turn out, at least one lodge was not represented at all. Much like elections in our local towns, states, and even federal elections.....the turn out of eligible voters was to say the least disappointing.

However, we all know that in the future brothers will gripe and complain about there respective BGP and DDI representatives.

So......are we as a group really that concerned about our fraternity when so little participation takes place in the selection of the leadership within our districts. How many times do we hear brothers talking about the future of this great fraternity, how often do we hear brothers talking about the leadership of the craft or the lack thereof?

I find it quite disturbing that a lodge doesn't respect the fraternity enough to have at least one brother show up at an election to represent the lodge and cast his vote. There were also lodges present that the WM was not in attendance. I understand that things come up in this busy life of ours, but there seemed to be a pattern of brothers just plainly not giving a darn one way or the other.

So the next time one of our beloved brothers are whining and complaining about the fraternity, particularly if they carry the title of WB....ask them what they have done recently to help.....it's easy to question why and criticize those who do get involved.....but it's not quite as easy to make a difference.

If you are concerned about our future.....that's excellent......do something if nothing else than show up to vote......it's a matter of respect for the craft.....sorry to get on my soapbox.....I'm done....I feel better

Cable-tow

Apparently the recently posted photo of the new Fellowcrafts prompted a little discussion among the brothers.....which is exactly what it was supposed to do.

Someone mentioned that the photo had been flipped because the aprons were not correct.....the photo wasn't flipped because the letter G is oriented correctly.......the aprons are wrong. There has been some speculation on brother Hodapp's blog and facebook page that the photo was staged.....perhaps it was..........perhaps it was staged to get us thinking.......hmmmmm

Also, another argument was that we are taught in the Entered Apprentice degree that it is the inner part of man and not the outer that Masonry considers...

Now on to something a little different. We hear the term cable-tow used quite often in Masonry.....I would say that it is an idiom of Masonic language.....or Masonic jargon.

So, what is meant by cable-tow. In the EA degree it is meant literally....a cable-tow is a strong rope for towing something, or in this case for leading the candidate out if necessary. In my 30 years I've yet to see that done.

As we move through the degrees the cable-tow takes on a more metaphorical meaning. In the FC we used to learn ( that is before the proficiency requirements were loosened to the point of not existing) that we had a cable-tow twice around the naked right arm to signify that we were under a double tie to the fraternity. Then in the MM we learn that the cable-tow around our body three times was to signify that our ties to the fraternity became more extensive as we advanced in Masonry.

The cable-tow has several symbolic meanings. First, it could have been used to withdraw an unwilling or unworthy candidate from the degree ceremony. Secondly, it becomes more of a symbol of our ties to the fraternity and our limitations.

In our obligations we are told to do certain things communicated to us by the lodge or brother if within the length of our cable-tow. Now in modern times our cable-tow may in fact be "wireless" through the courtesy of the internet. One brother may communicate to another brother by wireless means. Contrary to that if we publish a newsletter and a brother in Florida receives communication that the lodge will be holding a meeting concerning fund raising, more than likely that brother will not attend because his cable-tow is too long, or the distance is to great to travel for such a meeting.

The FC and the MM gives a pretty good description of our "ties" to the fraternity. As we advance in Masonry we all know that our ties to the fraternity become more and more extensive, in some cases quite extensive.

At our Regional School of Instruction we learned that there are no "small parts" when it comes to the ritual. To take that a step further there are no "small parts" in the fraternity period. If you have ever done a jigsaw puzzle you know that if one or two small pieces are missing you cannot finish the picture, it looks incomplete. The fact is that if you are missing one or two small pieces, it is glaringly obvious that the picture is not complete or not whole. Those missing pieces while small look enormously big when you look at the big picture, but when all the pieces are there and they unite into one beautiful picture it is sometimes difficult to decipher that the big picture is made up of many small pieces.

Again, such a small term, cable-tow, takes on enormous meaning. My brothers that is just one term made up of two small words with gigantic symbolic meaning. The framers of our ritual were exceedingly wise.....delve into the ritual and discover for yourself the meaning behind the words. So the next time you are asked to do just one small job or big job......remember you may be that last piece of the puzzle that makes this wonderful fraternity paint a big beautiful picture to it's members whether they are new or a seasoned veteran.

I borrowed this image from one of my favorite blogs, Freemasons for Dummies by Christopher Hodapp. He also posted it on his Facebook page. The comments were very interesting. For starters the only comment that appears on the blog is from a member of the lodge which these brothers belong to. His comment was that the important thing was that the number of new brothers, the fact that they are there and that the lodge has a great time with fellowship and is very active.

The few comments on the Facebook post were more negative of the attire of these brothers. Some commented that their lodge is blue collar and most of their members come directly from work. Others commented that some of the rural lodges in farming communities usually have members there in jeans and work clothes. While others commented that it doesn't cost that much to buy a nice shirt and a decent pair of slacks. Others made the statement that while in some farming communities jeans may be the dress pants but the farmers always wore a nice shirt and usually a tie.

I think this photo illustrates several things. Number one, the dress requirements were never explained to the candidate. Number two they probably looked like this for their EA and it was not corrected at that time.

Back in the stone ages when I joined the fraternity it was spelled out very clearly, that at a minimum a dress shirt, tie, and slacks were the expected dress, a suit if I had it. One commenter stated that it is no longer the sixties and that accepted dress has changed. True it is not the sixties, and dress standards have changed but respect is timeless. Respect can be demonstrated several ways and dress is one of them.

We see this lack of respect in places where dress to respect was always to be expected. At church, weddings, job interviews, and even funeral homes and funerals. It boils down to respect. First and foremost respect for oneself, respect for others, and respect for the ceremony or gathering.

I would not be surprised to see these brothers visit a funeral home in the same clothes or clothes like the ones in the photo. I've been appalled several times at funeral homes and funerals when even the adult children of the deceased show up in attire fitting for a day of yard work.

Yes the standards of dress have loosened over the years and unfortunately so has the respect shown toward others. Dress is a demonstration of respect.

We ask ourselves why new members lose interest so quickly. My answer to that is that they have little invested so they have little to lose. If we don't communicate the standards clearly then they don't know what is expected of them. If the new brother shows up looking like the photo and everyone else is properly dressed then they feel awkward and out of place. If they show up looking like the photo and everyone else looks like them, then they feel hey this is not that big of a deal after all.

We must communicate to our new soon to be brothers. I admit, I don't particularly like wearing a sport coat or suit, but I always have a shirt and tie and slacks. I'm working on the sport coat and suit thing for my own personal reasons. What is overlooked becomes accepted. If we overlook or fail to mention our standards then everyone loses, including the fraternity.

Our fraternity is an institution hundreds of years old, it deserves our utmost respect. Our newly made brothers are joining based on tradition, longevity, and higher standards. It is our job, our responsibility to demonstrate the respect our beloved fraternity is entitled to.

The Celestial Hemisphere

Tuesday evening I had the pleasure of attending one of the best Fellowcraft Degrees I've seen in a long time. Over the years this degree has become more of a favorite of mine, mainly because the lectures are so incredibly difficult and it always amazes me at how some of the brothers have mastered the lectures and made them their own.

In the section dealing with the Seven liberal Arts and Sciences there are some peculiar lines in explaining Astronomy.....We are taught that Astronomy is that Divine art by which we are taught to read the wisdom, strength, and beauty of the Almighty Creator in those sacred pages, the Celestial hemisphere.

Upon researching this passage several things come to light. To begin with, as we know Astronomy is the science that deals with the material universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere. This section of the lecture describes Astronomy as that Divine art. By using Divine the author is indicating that Astronomy is heavenly or celestial and that Astronomy blurs the line between science and art and although it is a science it is really a form of art based in science.

The passage continues on by saying.... we are taught to read the wisdom, strength, and beauty of the Almighty Creator in those sacred pages, the Celestial hemisphere

The above passage was a tough, tough stumbling block for me when studying this lecture and still is. For some reason I have had a tough time understanding what the author(s) is trying to say. Here is my feeble attempt to make some sense out of this sentence which contains a ton of information.

We are taught or knowledge and skill have been imparted to us to read.....or we have the skills to look at carefully and understand or apprehend and interpret the wisdom, strength, and beauty of the Almighty Creator.......in those sacred pages.......pertaining to or related to religion or connected with religion and regarded with reverence......a page is a noteworthy or significant event or period.....the Celestial hemisphere......the universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere.....hemisphere being the area in which something happens.

Once again the author(s) of the ritual have packed a multitude of meaning into a very small package.
Astronomy is a scientific form of art dedicated to the study of the universe or outer space as we have come to know it. While the study of the stars, planets, and galaxies take us closer to God, we learn that it is a Divine art. As we read or recognize the wisdom, strength, and beauty of the Supreme Architect....we too recognize that the Celestial hemisphere is truly close to the Supreme Architect of the Universe......while we are now able to view the whole sphere or galaxy....during the writing of the ritual I think they were only able to discern a hemisphere or the covering directly above us...when there was an entire universe all around us.

When we speak of the universality of Masonry it is truly all around us.....some parts are quite visible...while other parts are a world away but still existent......this is a mighty powerful fraternity with endless bounds.....my brothers I feel we have only scratched the surface.....have fun while you study our great ritual.

Growing Pains

The term growing pains seems to get used to describe a variety of things. It's been a number of years since most of us were in our teens and maybe slightly less than that for our children and in some cases grandchildren. Hopefully there are a few out there that may have recently experienced the growing pains and are anticipating the growing pains of their own children.

The term, growing pains, seems to fit quite nicely in describing the current state of the fraternity in our state of Michigan. It seems that we are in that strange sort of contraction area between being too big in certain areas and not big enough in others.

As we move forward, we realize we are not poised to take on the tasks involved in growing this fraternity. When we say a lodge is growing, what does that mean exactly? .... or when we say the fraternity is growing what does that mean?

Growing is quite subjective.......a lodge can be growing in their ritualistic performance, a lodge can be growing in number of members, a lodge can be growing by their involvement in the community, a lodge can be growing in the number of members who actively attend lodge meeting and functions.

It is a very hard thing to measure and everyone has their own interpretation.

We are currently going through some realigning of the districts in the entire state of Michigan. There seems to be only one question regarding this and that is.....why?

There are several good reasons for realigning, although the current thought is divided on the new boundaries. The number one reason is that the Board of General Purposes in having 53 reps had some questionable members on the board....many of whom took the job because nobody else wanted it, they were railroaded, or they were the last man standing, etc.

So, do we really want brothers acting as representatives merely to fill a position or do we want brothers in those position who will help lead the local lodges and this great fraternity as we move forward. Years ago there were probably fewer districts than the new 28, the days when brothers like WB Bob McClellan, and WB Jerry Miller were board reps and had numerous lodges to represent.

Not that long ago GM was on the brink of extinction, they did some downsizing and belt tightening and emerged on the other side leaner, stronger, more efficient, and ready to grow. My thought is that this great fraternity will emerge leaner, stronger, more efficient and ready to grow.....not just in numbers of members but growing in community involvement, personal growth, integrity, and in quality.

Random Thoughts

It's been too long since I've posted anything. Given that business is booming, finally, it's a little tough to do much research. However, there are a couple of things that seem to be running through my head as of late.

Although in 2012 the Grand Lodge of Michigan for the first time in 50+ years had positive growth in membership, yet there is still grumblings about how the fraternity is shrinking and on the verge of becoming non existent.

My reply to that is one word which has become very popular as of late---REALLY????

In my own lodge we are normally dark during July and August...but this year we've had a regular in July and degree work on most of the subsequent lodge nights for the whole month of July.

Again, rumblings....we've always had the summer off.....we've never done it this way before....really?

So, we complain that we're not growing and when we do have an opportunity to grow we complain because we've never done work in July. This brings up the old cliche of having one's cake and eating it too.

Our latest EA is a young man in his twenties....he got interested in Freemasonry through research on the internet.....seems his grandfather was a Mason, his father is not, but he has a very strong interest....hmmmm....where have I heard this before....hmmmmmm

Another thing which is constantly on my mind lately is the discussion regarding the fabric of our nation....what our nation has evolved into, in comparison to the principles it was founded upon. We are somewhat privileged in knowing that the country was founded on the same principles that our fraternity was founded upon.

It's pretty neat to know that our nation and our fraternity started with the same core foundational principles.....of course our fraternity had the opportunity to grow for about 60 years before forming this great nation of the Unite States of America.

Again.....there are plenty of dooms-sayers that claim our country is in it's last days and that we will cease to exist......but our country being founded on the same principles as our craft can and will be tested and stretched to the limits....but....our country and our fraternity are things larger than us...both having been created on such strong foundations that they will not meet their demise, although both will be tested to the limit....I believe both will survive and become stronger than ever.

What ya got cookin'?

Stumbled across a little fact that is new to me. For the more seasoned Masons, the name Hank Williams is pretty familiar. Maybe the younger Masons are more familiar with Hank Jr. or Hank3.

Hank Williams died an early tragic death as so many young performers do. However, his legend lives on through not only his music but of his son and grandson as well.

The name Hank is one that Williams adopted in his teen years to replace his given name of Hiram King Williams, he figured it would be more suited for his musical aspirations.

Hank's dad was a Mason and his mother a member of the Order of Eastern Star. The first born of the union of Elonzo Huble "Lon" Williams and Jessie Lillybelle "Lillie" Skipper was a little girl named, Irene. Their second baby was a boy who died shortly after birth and the third child a son named Hiram King William.

As Paul Harvey always said, " and now you know the rest of the story."

Modern Day Stone Age

I had the good fortune of seeing a new brother last evening, outside of a lodge setting. As we talked I remembered him and we had a nice visit.

Some things came up in our discussion which weren't so nice, in fact they hit me like a three-pound sledge in the forehead. This brother is relatively young in Masonic years, owns and operates a business, and is eager to learn.

He made mention that had he known the relative inactivity of the lodge he joined he would have sought out a different lodge. In joining a lodge he chose the one in the town where he lives. The unfortunate thing is that particular lodge has lost it's way and is struggling to stay afloat. However, he is a fairly new member and he attended at least one degree at his lodge, which he mentioned had very poor attendance.

Education and learning about Masonry also came up in our conversation. This young man is hungry and eager to learn. He related how he has learned nothing since being raised. We all know that he surely picked up some morsel of knowledge while observing the degree. But, his point must be well taken and seriously considered by all of us.

My intention is not to point out the deficiencies of this lodge......but to point out the deficiencies of our fraternity as a whole. I hate to sound like a broken record, or keep beating a dead horse, choose your own cliche.....we have to change and become more educated ourselves to impart knowledge to the new young brothers.

I can hear the grumbling now.....well if they learned their lessons the way we did they would have knowledge..perhaps they would.....and I think that was a much more informative, learning process also....but the fact remains.....change has occurred....and we no longer do the catechisms that way.

This brief conversation hit me right between the eyes because I know we, for the most part fall very short in relating our great history and heritage and the meanings of our rites and ceremonies. Remember our fraternity is rich in symbolism and we must be able and willing to translate those symbols and allegories to our new young brothers.


 

Although our roots may be firmly

planted in the stone age....that is the building of the great edifices of stone...our fraternity has to respond to the modern day expectations of our new young brothers.

Fare Thee Well

There is a solemn task imposed on all us as Free and Accepted Masons, the Masonic Memorial. It is said that it matters not to him, whether two or three, or hundreds have assembled with the insignia of the craft to honor his memory.

It should matter to we brothers who continue on in his absence. We in Ancient District 20 have a rich heritage of traveling to other lodges and conferring degrees. Quite often there may be 30-50 visiting brothers to either take part in or simply witness the degree work. Too often we don't see the same type of numbers at Masonic Memorials.

It should matter enough to us to travel to those memorials and help in paying the last offices to the dead. Also, at times it almost seems to be a popularity event. Those brothers who were active naturally seem to draw larger attendance than those brothers who for whatever reason may not have been as active in Masonry but very likely was active in other areas........but we are all brothers in the end.

Popularity doesn't always guarantee a respectable showing of brothers at a memorial. We need to make an effort at attending these rites and ceremonies as much as we do attending degrees. Sometimes a memorial may not be at a convenient time, this has happened to me all too often. It seems that many memorials take place on Thursday evening at 7pm, unfortunately Thursday is my evening to work until 7pm. I have missed several memorials because of this, but that makes me much more conscious of the ones I can attend.

This issue was raised by WB Gary Childs at a recent meeting of King Solomon's Club, I took that to heart. There have been times when I really didn't feel like getting dressed to head out to a memorial on Sunday evening, but after getting there the cammaradiere of the attendees while getting ready for the service is usually a fine display of brotherhood. Some of us have started going to a nearby restaurant following the service to grab a bite to eat and continue the fellowship. Afterall as Masons if there is one thing we get right it's, eating.

By attending a memorial one gets to enjoy the pre-service fellowship and usually get reaquainted with a brother who hasn't been around for a while, pay respect to a deceased brother, show support to the family and friends of the departed brother, remember that we are travelling upon that level of time, and possibly have a sandwich and coffee later, and close the event with more fellowhip and socializing, hmmmmm

It's all about how we look at things and the decisions we make about how we will respond. Take a good hard look at your schedule the next time you learn of a Masonic Memorial, regardless of lodge number, you might just find that by honoring a deceased brother, good things may come your way......and may both of you
.....Fare thee well.......

Movable & Immovable

Had the pleasure of attending an Entered Apprentice Degree at Linden Lodge #132 last evening. This was a special degree performed with all of the lights on. Unfortunately my back didn't cooperate very well and I had to leave early. There was the usual fine compliment of brothers in attendance for this joint degree on two candidates one from Linden #132 and one from Fellowship #490 both Monday evening lodges who are working in a new spirit of cooperation.

As I was sitting outside the lodge room I had an interesting conversation with one of the new candidates and the Tiler of Linden lodge. Often times the spirit of Freemasonry takes place with a couple of brothers just talking about life....ahhh....the original social media....human interaction.

Also, I was thinking about what was going to be said inside the lodge room. Actually all during the day on Monday I couldn't get the part of the lecture dealing with the jewels of a lodge out of my head.

In contemplating this section I pondered what is truly being said....three movable and three immovable jewels. We are taught that the movable jewels are the "rough ashlar, the perfect ashlar, and the trestle-board" and when viewing the illustrations of these jewels I'm not so sure I want to move them. Some lodges have small renditions of the ashlars and the trestle board could be moved but seems cumbersome.

Then we have the immovable jewels....the square, level, and plumb. Certainly they seem more capable of being moved. Even the operative version of these tools are easily carried in one hand and obviously the speculative versions are much smaller and lighter versions.

Why....are these terms movable and immovable used along with jewels?

A jewel is a precious possession, something that is treasured, esteemed and indispensable.

What about movable and immovable ?

It turns out that movable means capable of being moved without injury...able to be rearranged.

Immovable means impossible to alter, unyielding in principal,  purpose or adherance; steadfast.

Therefore the movable jewels; the rough ashlar, the perfect ashlar, and the trestle-board are always changing or moving. The rough ashlar...a rude and imperfect stone taken from the quarry is symbolic of the candidate for Masonry....he is a rude and imperfect stone take from the quarry of the human race...hence movement. The perfect ashlar is a stone made ready by the Fellowcrafts for the builders use....again movement....the rough ashlar or candidate begins to be shaped by the tools of the Fellowcraft, the better to fit him for the builders use. By furthering his education in Freemasonry he begins to be shaped or changed to prepare him for the Builders use. In other words he is becoming a changed and improved man to be a better fit for the Builders use or Gods use. The trestle-board is also ever changing...the plans laid down are seldom the same for each building...so is the spiritual trestle-board for each man, God has a different plan for each of his creation. Thus plans are ever changing and evolving for Gods plan for that man.

The immovable jewels....the square, level and plumb.....the square teaches morality, the level equality and the plumb rectitude of life. Remembering that these are immovable, steadfast and unyielding in principal. The square always teaches morality, the level always teaches equality and the plumb always teaches rectitude of life.

In conclusion the movable jewels are always changing but are always guided by the steadfast principles of the immovable jewels.

Search these things out my brothers you will be continually amazed by the words of our ritual and will more than likely question those who wish to change it.

More Light in Masonry

Yesterday was a bit unusual. To start off Monday morning we had no heat at work, apparently a part on the boiler decided to stop working over the weekend.

So, after work I stopped by and picked up a traveling brother and we headed out to Linden Lodge #132 for a Fellowcraft degree. We joked about the last time we visited, the parking lot was packed as usual, we parked a ways out from the building and witnessed 3 large deer meandering through the parking lot, not sure if they were cowans or eavesdroppers.

As we got closer to the lodge building it appeared that the lights were not on....it appeared that way because they were not on. The lodge was without electricity....notice I didn't say power....but no electricity. The lodge had plenty of power. Brothers were milling about with candles, flashlights, lanterns, and cell phones.

Because of work, we missed the dinner but I guess they got most of the way through dinner before losing electricity. The brothers sprang into action and out came the candles, flashlights and so forth. We proceeded upstairs to confer the Fellowcraft Degree on one candidate.

The lodge room was lit with candles primarily and a few battery powered lanterns. The lodge room took on a very close and intimate feel....and after a short time ones eyes began to adjust and it wasn't that bad. The lodge was opened in fine fashion and the degree work proceeded as normal.

Also, it was unusually quiet on the sidelines and the degree went somewhat flawlessly. I couldn't help but think that as we gathered to give an Entered Apprentice more light in Maonry by passing him to the Fellowcraft Degree....that the ones who truly received more light in Masonry were the  52+ brothers in attendance.

This was definitely one for the story books of all the Masons in attendance. The degree proceed on through the lectures and right on to the final charge when the electricity came back on. I think many of us would have preferred for the lights to be shut off and finish by candlelight.

Sitting there in the warm glow of candles I couldn't help but think about the brothers of prior generations who conferred degrees in this manner as routinely as we do with the aid of electrical lights. It also proved that the craft and the Fraternity is bigger and stronger than man's inventions.

Another stirring thing was that out of the 52+ brothers in attendance probably about 40 remained throughout all of the lectures, the middle chamber and right down to the final charge. I think that with the warm glow of candles and the quietness in the lodge room, many brothers heard the lectures of the Fellowcraft Degree in a way they had never experienced it....with a renewed attentiveness seldom if ever equaled in their Masonic journey.

Definitely one for the story tellers out there....but just a great night.....and one brother received more light in Masonry by virtue of the degree he received.....and over 50 brothers received more light from the glow of a few candles than they have in many years by witnessing the degree.....just a fine night in Michigan Masonry!!

Brother Ernie

MOUTH TO EAR

By Brother Ernest Borgnine, 33˚ Member of Abingdon Lodge #48 Virginia USA In 1946, I travelled with a friend down to a little town called Abingdon, Virginia, to see what the Barter Theatre had to offer. It offered nothing except hard work and board. My friend, not accepting the work they offered him, stayed one day - I stayed five years. In that time I grew to love the town and all it offered. The people, in particular, were simply marvellous. Occasionally I would be assigned to go down to the printing shop and get posters made for the upcoming shows at the Barter Theatre. One day, in talking to the owner of the print shop, one Elmo Vaughan, I found that he belonged to the local Masonic Lodge, No. 48, in Abingdon. My father was also a Mason and had advanced to the Thirty-second Degree in Scottish Rite Masonry, and I told this to Elmo. He was pleased, and sensing his pleasure, I asked him if maybe I could join. He said nothing, continuing his work, and a short while later, I took my posters and left. The next time I saw Elmo, I asked him again about joining the Masonic Order - again he said nothing - and again my work took me away. We became good friends and finally one day I passed by and again I asked if I could join the Masons. Instantly, he whipped out an application and I hurriedly filled it out. I didn't learn 'til later, that in those days, you had to ask three times. I was thrilled! Not only was I going to be the first actor ever in Lodge No. 48, but I could just imagine my father's surprise when I would spring the old greetings on him! I wanted only to surprise my Dad - and was I surprised, when after I was made an Entered Apprentice, I found I had to remember everything that happened to me at that event and come back and answer questions about it! I was assigned to a dear old man of about 92 years of age who, I felt, must have been there when the Lodge first started. He was really of the old school - and he started me out with the foot-to-foot, knee-to-knee and mouth-to-ear routine of teaching. Besides doing my work for the Barter Theatre and a little acting to boot, I was also going to that dear Brother for my work in Masonry. I would tramp all over those lovely hills and work on my "Whence came you's" and one day - oh, one fine day - I stood foot-to-foot with my Brother and answered every question perfectly! I was ecstatic! I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to get to Lodge to show my ability as an Entered Apprentice. After I quieted down, that dear Brother said, "You've done fine, but aren't you really only half started?" I couldn't believe him! I knew my work; what else was there? He said "Wouldn't it be better if you knew all the questions too?" I couldn't believe my ears! All that hard work and only half done? He gently sat me down foot-to-foot, knee-to-knee and mouth-to-ear and taught me all the questions. That didn't come easy, because I was almost doing the work by rote, but with careful listening and by really applying myself, I was soon able to deliver all the questions and answers perfectly! The night that I stood in front of the Lodge and was asked if I were ready to answer the questions of an Entered Apprentice, I respectfully asked if I could do both - questions and answers. I was granted that wish and later found that I was the second man in my Lodge to have ever done so! I am truly proud of that, never having demitted, I am still a member in good standing in Abingdon Lodge No. 48. I tell this story not for the merit it might gain me, but to tell you that learning the Entered Apprentice obligation taught me a great lesson in acting as well: that before I ever attempt to do a part I should work, rehearse, feel, almost live that part to know what I am talking about! As I've advanced in Masonry, I have found we are an elite group of people who believe in God, country, family and neighbours. We work hard to help our fellowman; and through our charitable work, such as support for the Childhood Language Disorders Centers, we have made it possible to help many children grow Into good American citizens. We should always be proud of the Order we belong to. Where in all the world do you find so many great men and Brothers who have helped the whole wide world? But - we are hiding our light under a bushel basket! Recently I attended a dinner for a friend, and I ran across a Brother who identified himself in a hushed voice. I asked why he spoke in a whisper when talking about Masonry, and suddenly I realized he wasn't the only one who had ever done that. I speak out loud about Masonry to everyone! I'm proud of the fact that I belong to an organization that made me a better American, Christian, husband and neighbour; and all it took was a little self-determination by going foot-to-foot, knee-to-knee, and mouth-to-ear!

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Which Way Do We Want It ?

One of the great philosophical questions of the ages....is the glass half-empty or half-full?

My last post was on January 22, a Tuesday. The following Saturday January 26, King Solomon's Club of Ancient District 20 held their annual election/installation of officers. Attendance was a little light this year because of scheduling conflicts, but still a good showing.

Toward the end of the evening the President of the club opened up the floor for announcements. Of course we had the breakfast, supper, and fund raising events announced. Following the knife and fork announcements came the degree announcements. This went on for several minutes, everything from Entered Apprentice degrees to Fellowcraft degrees and Master Mason degrees were announced. These were not restricted to one particular area of the county, they came from east, west, north, and south, and went on for quite a long time.

When things seemed to be completed, I arose and brought greetings from the Grand Lodge of Michigan and spoke to the recent good news that for the first time since 1959 the Masonic fraternity in Michigan experienced positive growth in membership numbers. I thought I was going to have the last word and we could end on some exciting positive news.........not.

True to our profession of yesteryear a seasoned Past Master stood up and said, speaking of the decline of the fraternity.....paraphrasing some but not much......speaking of the decline of the fraternity....hmmmmm

So....is the glass nearly half empty or well over half full ??????

We have to overcome this defeatist attitude.

A large portion of our growth is coming via the internet. Many of the young men joining the fraternity are grandsons of Masons. Our fraternity actually skipped well over a generation of young men who wanted nothing to do with what their fathers were doing. Now their sons are intrigued by the Masonic fraternity and in many cases their grandfathers were Masons but did not talk about it, although very proud, they didn't discuss it.

That guarded secrecy of the fraternity did two things. First, it helped deter a whole generation from seeking membership. In the late sixties and through the seventies the age of open minds, free flowing information, and sharing all things....the young men of the time did not "dig" being kept in the dark and excluded from the secrecy going on in those lodges. Second, now we fast forward to present day and the young men today are intrigued by the fraternity because their grandfathers were very proud members and when they ask their fathers what the fraternity is the dads can't answer...because they don't know.

I can picture the conversation going something like this.....hey dad, gramps was a Mason and very proud right....yeah he really enjoyed his lodge....dad, what is a Mason and what do they do......well, I can't answer that because I don't know, gramps never really talked about what went on there, when I asked he told me I would have to join to find out, but he never asked me to join, I never understood that......wow, sounds kind of secretive, I wonder what he did and I wonder what they still do.....well son maybe you should google it and see what you can find out....thanks dad.

So are going to moan and complain about the decline......or..........be excited by our first positive growth in over 50+ years.

If we are not positive and ready to meet the needs of these new young brothers....then the glass will empty out quickly my brothers. We have been hoping, praying, and working toward this goal....now we have reached this goal.....what do we do to respond????

By keeping the same mind-set the glass will quickly empty.......by embracing the changes and rejoice in one each others prosperity we can continue to grow this great fraternity which is bigger and stronger than any of us individually.

Crossroads

Brothers my hope and prayer is that everyone survived the holiday season and are enjoying another new year. The weather is brutal cold this morning which seems to go along with the Flint Shrine Circus.

The Grand Lodge of Michigan was extremely pleased to announce that for the first time since 1959 there was positive growth in the membership numbers for the year 2012. What that breaks down to is that we took in more members than we lost through death, transfers, demits, expulsions, and suspensions due to non payment of dues.

Along with growth comes growing pains from inside and outside the fraternity. We are faced with the challenge of meeting and exceeding the expectations of our new members. The lodges that are really growing and making things happen are heavily involved in the community and also have numerous events for the members of their lodges, family, and friends.

Another growing pain is to ensure that the officers of the lodge are friendly, profecient in their work, and are encouraging to the new members without pushing them into things too quickly.

These are just a few of the growing pains from within. Unfortunately growth is also influenced and affected by outside forces.

For many years now, well over 100 years in fact, the fraternity of Freemasonry has had appendant bodies. In fact in the real early years of the the 1800's the Royal Arch had a tremendous amount of members. Of course the Royal Arch is the first step of the York Rite. Through the 1800's into the first half of the 1900's York Rite Masonry was a natural progression for those Masons seeking further light in Masonry. Also during that time the Scottish Rite also enjoyed tremendous success to serve those who sought further light but in a different setting and type of allegory than the York Rite. Both bodies had the same goal but went about it in different ways. The common denominator was Masonic affiliation.

In the late 1800's the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine was created by Dr.Walter Fleming and William Lawrence a prominent actor at the time. It was created to be the Mason's playground for several reasons. First and foremost to promote a lighthearted venue for socializing and fellowship. It was thought that the Masons of the day having gone through the "three degrees" and then completed either the York Rite or Scottish Rite needed to a place to unwind and have fun with their brothers.

Masonic membership has always been a prerequisite for any of the appendant bodies and it was only recently that membership in either the York or Scottish Rite was no longer required to be a Shriner; Masonic membership is the only required prerequisite to gain membership in the Shrine.

A favorite blog of mine is Freemasons for Dummies by Christopher Hodapp. Hodapp does a tremendous job of reporting on Masonic events worldwide. Currently their is posted a letter from the Grand Master of South Carolina to the Imperial Potentate of Shriners International. The letter is requesting that all expelled South Carolina Masons be dropped from the roles of membership in Shriners International. Add to this the friction between the Grand Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas which involves the question of expelled Masons remaining on the Shrine membership roles and our recent breakdown in fraternal relations between the Grand Lodge of Michigan and Shriners International ( which thank God has been restored ) and other debates between Grand Lodges and Shriners International and you have a recipe for seperation.

In other words....it appears that through numerous breakdowns of mutual respect and recognition, Shriners International is poised for severing of relations between the two fraternities. If such a separation were to occur, Masonic membership would no longer be required to be a Shriner. I must stress that views expressed on this blog are strictly my opinion based on observations made by me.

If such a separation were to occur what would be the effect on both fraternities? It's hard to guess what the numbers would be after the initial rumblings such an event would create. My thought is that there would be large numbers of defectors from both organizations. There are many Masons who feel very strongly that the Shrine needs to be tied to the fraternity of Freemasonry to remain grounded.....those brothers would probably forgo their Shrine membership. On the flip side there are a fair number of Shriners who for whatever reason have never appreciated the benefits of the Masonic fraternity, in some cases it's just not their "thing", those Shriners would probably not hesitate to relieve themselves of Masonic membership.

I think that the end result would be very negative for both organizations. It would be a tough decision for me to make. I have had a tremendous amount of fun in both sides....actually three sides if you include the Scottish Rite. My roots are in the Blue Lodge, over the years I have grown to love the fraternity...but it made a tremendous impact on me from the start....maybe I had a jump start in DeMolay. The Shrine is a terrific source of fun...of course having been in the clown unit for a number of years probably helped. The work that is done in the hospitals takes one's breath away. The Scottish Rite while ritualistic in nature is a great time, it allows for fellowship with fellow Masons from the local region as does the Shrine.

My hope is that Masonic membership remains a prerequisite for Shrine membership. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and that all involved will remember the tenants of our profession. Through mutual cooperation and respect all will prosper......that's my opinion, which along with $2 will get you a good cup of coffee !!

Grave ????

A special thank you goes out to WB Dale Kuehn, Regional Grand Lecturer for 2A....a former Ancient District 20 brother I might add for the following contribution.

Grave?

     During the Fellowcraft degree Lecture we refer to music as one of the sciences.  In this portion of the lecture we refer to acute, grave and mixed sounds?

    Wow a grave sound? 

 

    I always thought that the grave was west of Mt. Moriah? I was corrected by a very knowledgeable DDI who had himself been corrected by a retired Professor of Music.  This retired Professor taught at one of our States finer Universities.  He clearly understood the proper use of the word Grave.  I myself included have been pronouncing this word wrong all along (shame on me). 

 

Grave

Definition: Adjective; slowly; with solemnity
Proper pronunciation: gra veh
Also Known As: Music that sounds serious and is played slowly.
Italian for "slow and serious"

Not: grāv which is a Noun; a place of burial for a dead body, typically a hole dug in the ground and marked by a stone or mound!)

    Our ancient brothers who set up our ritual clearly understood the words and their meanings. It always amazes me at what words they chose and understood.  If we would just dig a little deeper into some of the lectures and their meanings we would understand a lot more and continue on teaching new brothers about the history of our ritual.

    So how will you pronounce the word grave in a future lecture?  I know how I will!

Dale Kuehn, RGL2A