Happy New Year 2016

After the Third Degree….Now What?

So you just received the Third Degree in your lodge and now you’re a Master Mason.  Congratulations, you now belong to the world’s oldest fraternity.  Over the past several months (or one day) you have been exposed to a tremendous amount of information ranging from history, philosophy, legends, symbols and maybe even some mumbo jumbo.

Expecting you to digest and comprehend that vast amount of knowledge over such a short period of time is unreasonable and is like taking a drink of water from a fire hydrant.

It is common and even expected for the new Mason to seek to understand all three degrees and how they may apply in your journey for more Masonic light.  Some of the stumbling blocks you will encounter may be understanding the many cryptic passages or the symbolism. In addition, you may want to know more information about the origins and foundations of Craft Freemasonry.

Ultimately, you likely will end up having more questions than answers. You may even conclude that you are missing pieces of information or you may feel that you have not gotten the whole story.  Well, you are right; you did not get the full complete narrative in the first three degrees.  As a matter of fact, most students (theoreticians) of Freemasonry agree that the story of the craft presented in the three degrees is incomplete and but that the degrees of the Chapter of the Royal Arch will complete the story for you.

There are many that would have you believe that you can receive the true secrets of the craft in the degrees that are other than the Royal Arch degrees. This is simply not true.  Some say that these other degrees have similarities but different emphasis but again this is not true.

You have already received the symbolic degrees of the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason.  These three Blue Lodge degrees are of the York Rite, so it would be natural that you will want to continue expanding your knowledge in the same tradition?

As a matter of fact, the Grand Lodge of England, thought that the teachings of the Royal Arch were the very essence of pure Freemasonry and very important.  When the Ancients and Moderns were merged in the 1813, creating the United Grand Lodge of England, they included a reference to it in the 1813 act of the Union:

“By the Solemn Act of Union between the two Grand Lodges of England in December 1813 it was declared and pronounced that Pure Ancient Masonry consist of three degrees and no more, via…, those of the Entered Apprentice, the Fellowcraft, and Master Mason. Including the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch.”

In England today, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, by virtue of his office, is also the top leader of the Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch. 

The Royal Arch is taken very seriously in England.  From my experience, I found the Royal Arch chapters meet in the local lodges on a different night than the regular lodge meeting.  Usually your companions are your lodge Brothers.  When the lodge raises a Master Mason he is entitled to join the Royal Arch “in order to complete his Master Mason degree.” Within a ten mile radius of London there are 3,000 Chapters with approximately 105,000 members (Companions).

The next logical step to complete your Masonic education is the Royal Arch. It will present a complete system that is in complete mutual agreement with the original plan. It will lead you to a fuller understanding of the purpose and spirit of Freemasonry and for the first time you will be able to perceive the completeness of the ancient craft.  You will also have better insight into all the ceremonies from the Entered apprentice to the Master Mason degree. Once you have a clear picture or understanding then you can apply those principles to your life making it all relevant.

As a Royal Arch Mason, you will have completed your education of Craft Freemasonry and your quest for more light continues.

A man is not a Master Mason until he has received the Masters word and he can only receive it in the Royal Arch.

Freemasons Happy Boston Tea Party !

                                                                             

Today is a day for all Free Masons to celebrate....The Boston Tea Party. I have found an article by Brother Edward Cair of California. I found this to be a very enjoyable story. I hope you too will raise your cup in honor of this great American moment and I consider today a Masonic day.If you see me be sure to stop me and Ill buy you a cup of coffee and we can enjoy the moment together.

Amazingly, no one knew who dumped the tea!
Two thousand people stood on Griffin’s Wharf and watched the Boston Tea Party. The crowd was silent as sixty men dumped 340 chests of tea into the salt water. Some of them put lampblack or paint on their faces. Some came wrapped in blankets. They called themselves “Mohawks”. (Most of the participants actually were not disguised.)

The crews of the tea ships were ordered below. No resistance was made. Some of the crew even helped unload the tea.

The Governor’s Cadet Corps were guarding the tea ships. They never lifted a musket and stood away from the crowd because these people had not forgot-ten the Boston Massacre.

It took three hours and all done in silence and order. No damage was done to the ships. The decks were swept clean. No “Mohawk” would keep any of the tea.

The three tea ships were in range of a 60-gun British warship. The entire Tea Party could have been blown out of the water. It would have meant firing on the crowd as well as the people in buildings near the wharf. No shot was fired.

The British Admiral watched from the upstairs window of a house nearby. When the “Mohawks” had completed their task they marched under his window. The Admiral opened the window and shouted, “Tomorrow you’ll still have to pay the piper! “.

No trial of the “Mohawks” was ever made in Boston. One man in the crowd said he would be a witness provided they would take him to London 3,000 miles away. He was never taken to London. Governor Hutchinson said that if he held a trial in Boston the members of the jury would turn out to be the “Mohawks” or their friends.

After the Tea Party, Governor Hutchinson himself was withdrawn to London “for consulta-tion”. He never returned. Instead the King and Ministry sent General Gage as a new military Gover-nor and gave him full discretion to find evidence for a trial of those responsible for the Boston Tea Party. Parliament closed down the port of Boston, cut off the trade, and sent in 10,000 troops to oc-cupy a town of 20,000 people. The new military Governor with his full discretion never found suf-ficient evidence in Boston and the Ministers to the King in London never pressed charges.

Benjamin Franklin, a Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania, was in London at the time. He called the Boston Tea Party “an act of violent in-justice”. A group of London merchants wanted to pay twice the value of the tea in order to keep trade open. Franklin offered to pay for the tea himself or raise the money in Boston.

“Though the mischief was the act of persons unknown, yet as probably they cannot be found, or brought to answer for it, there seems to be some reasonable claim on the society at large in which it happened.”

Once Parliament closed down the port of Boston no one ever paid for the tea. Parliament took the tax off tea, but the East India Tea Company was never able to sell tea in America. The Tea Act that had given them a monopoly could not protect them.

Many years later, Sir Winston Churchill—Prime Minister, Historian and Freemason—commented on the Tea Act of Parliament that had given the East India Company a monopoly on tea. Brother Churchill called it “a fatal blunder”.

The Tea Act put a small tax on the East India Tea. It was actually cheap tea that had been stored in warehouses in England. However, the East India Tea Company was bankrupt, so Parliament gave them a monopoly. Tea was to be sold by the Consignees (tea agents) of the one company. This gave the Con-signees a tea monopoly in their area. Keeping the small tax on tea would just prove that Parliament still had the power to tax. But . . . it didn’t work!

In New York, Philadelphia and Charleston, the Consignees for the tea resigned their Commissions at the request of the Sons of Liberty. With no Con-signees to pay the tax and sign for the tea, the East India Company tea ships had to turn around and sail back to England with their cheap tea.

But Boston was different! The Consignees would not resign. Two sons of the Governor and a son-in-law were Consignees. When the Governor’s family is in the tea business the ships cannot leave the harbor.

The Tea Act stated that tea “remaining twenty days unloaded” was subject to seizure by the Customs House and sold for nonpayment of duties. Once the tea was in the Governor’s hands, he could dispose of it secretly to local merchants. When Governor Hutchinson again refused to let the tea ships go on the night before December 17th, (the 16th was the end of the 20 day limit for unloading), the “Mohawks” seated in the balcony at the Old South Meeting Hall took matters into their own hands.

There never would have been a Tea Party if the ships could have left before December 17th. Several of the Brothers of the St. Andrews Lodge did their part in trying to turn the tea ships around.

Brother William Molineux acted as spokesman for the Sons of Liberty. He and Brother Joseph Warren led a crowd of 300 from the Liberty Tree to the Customs House to confront the Consignees. Would these tea agents resign and send the tea ships back to England? The Governor’s sons refused and moved to Fort William under military protection. Just three years before Brother Molineux and Brother James Otis (St. John’s Lodge) had led a crowd of a thousand patriots to confront the Gover-nor’s sons who were importing tea and hiding it in a warehouse against the nonimportation agree-ments. In that tea business, the Hutchinsons sur-rendered the tea and the money for the tea they had already sold. Brother James Otis was the Mason who gave us the saying “Taxation without represen-tation is Tyranny!”.

Brother John Hancock was the Colonel for the Governor’s Cadet Corps who guarded the tea ships. The night before the Tea Party he was aboard the tea ships inspecting his troops. Both he and Brother Joseph Warren had served as Orators at the Com-memoration of those who had died at the Boston Massacre.

Brother John Hancock was the richest merchant in New England. He served as Moderator for a mass Town Meeting of 5,000 who voted to turn the tea ships around. He was a member of the Committee of Selectmen, who were the leading tradesmen of Boston, who met with the Governor and the tea Consignees to try to convince them to let the ships go.

Brother John Rowe was the owner of one of the tea ships, the Eleanor. He was also a Selectman anc promised to use his influence with the Governor tc return the tea ships and the tea to England. Brothel Rowe was the Grand Master of the St. John’s Grand Lodge of Massachusetts (Moderns). In his diary he called the dumping of the tea “a disastrous affair”.

On the day before the Tea Party, Brother Joseph Warren met with Brother John Rowe in a concern for his “ship and cargo”. Brother Warren was tht Grand Master of the Grand Lodge (Ancients) Brother Warren also went to the Customs House with the owner of the tea ship, Dartmouth. All exits to the harbor were blocked. By law the Customs Officials cannot release the ship unless the Con signees unloaded the tea and paid the tax. The next day the Customs Officials were to seize the tea according to law.

In the final appeal to the Governor by the Select-men, Covernor Hutchinson offered to give the tea ship Dartmouth military escort to Castle Island and Fort William where his sons, as Consignees, would unload the tea and pay the tax. The owner of the Dartmouth did not want to move his ship with the help of a 60-gun warship.

During the 19 days prior to the Tea Party, Brother Paul Revere served with the North End Caucus Guard, who prevented the Consignees from unload-ing the tea, wanting it instead returned to England. The Consignees blamed the guard for not unloading; the tea and the guard blamed the Consignees for not returning the tea to England.

After the Tea Party, Brother Paul Revere mounted

his horse and carried the news to New York. Whe

a tea ship arrived there, the Consignees resigned an

the tea ship returned to England. The news was

taken to Philadelphia and beyond. There were no

more Consignees for the East India Tea Company

The English said that the Americans lost their taste for tea because they had a peculiar way of mix-ing it with salt water.

Order tea and you were a Tory. Order coffee an you were a Patriot!

America has been drinking coffee ever since.


Bro Edward Cair is a member of Southern Calilornia Research Lodge.

Remember Pearl Harbor

                                                                            

     On December 7th 1941 at 7:55 AM the Japanese military launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navel base at Pearl Harbor. Over 2400 U.S. personnel were killed,hundreds of aircraft were destroyed,and a fleet of eight battleships were ruined in a matter of minutes. America did not want to go to war,but the Attack on Pearl Harbor propelled our country into quest for mankinds future.It is a day that changed our nation.
     A Ceremony was held December 6 ,2015 at the USS Arizona Memorial.A former US Airman Jack Detour and Japanese fighter pilot Shiro Wakita who were sworn enemies during the war met. Together commemorated the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
    Our WWII veterans are aging and passing away. For this year it was reported that no Pearl Harbor Survivors were present at this years ceremony.The last surviving officer from the USS Arizona Joseph Langdell died on Feb.4th this year in California at the age of 100.

     Let us take a moment to commemorate those who were lost that day. Also to honor the peace and friendship that has developed  between the United States and Japan. Finally to remember that "Freedom isn't free"

Thank you to the U.S. Navy for the images Click on image for enlargement

Light in Darkness

I love to look-up Latin sayings.  The other day I stumbled across a Masonic Lodge with the name Lux in Tenebus Lodge #3856 so I did a little research. The Latin meaning “Light in Darkness’. Some say its Light out of Darkness. This appears to be a very fitting name for the lodge membership is blind.

The lodge received its warrant of Constitution on April 23, 1918. They meet on the third Friday of the month at Freemasons Hall in Lodge Room #5 in London England.

I guess it was that Latin class in the 5^th grade that created an interest in Latin . Now that I have a little more time I think I’ll dwell deeper into it. Deo Volente…Absum!

Veterans Day

n

This day, which began as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.'” This new legal holiday honored World War I veterans. In 1954, after having been through World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urging of the veterans service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

A day to honor those who have served and now serve in uniform, as well as those who died in service to this great country.

Thomas Paine said, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”  Many of you here today have born that burden and experienced the fatigue of waging war in order to bring about peace.  To you I say thank you.  Thank you for setting the example that inspired me and my peers to raise our hands in voluntary service to this great nation.

That shared service joins us together like no other bond.  The camaraderie we share in military service helps define us. I can honestly say the time I’ve spent as a member of the United States Navy is the best of my life, even after I left the Navy, it will stay with me and define me till the day I die.

I’ve always thought Veterans’ Day got the short end of the stick, holiday-wise. For many Americans, there is no official day off work, as there is for the July Fourth holiday.  And many people view Memorial Day as the official day to pay tribute to service members from the various branches of the armed forces, who’ve given their lives in service to the nation.

And yet this day, Veterans’ Day, serves a very important purpose.  It is the day we recognize not just those who have given their lives in war, but all those who have worn the uniforms of service.  This day, above all, is an opportunity to celebrate the choice one makes to serve their country.  For some, it meant the world wide conflict of WWII, or a lifetime of peacekeeping missions, or the tense standoff of the cold war.  Others, in the jungles of Vietnam or in Korea, Panama, and other conflicts in which we have asked our military to serve over the years.

And of course we can’t forget that today, for many, service means multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, on active duty or as reservists, and Guard members who sacrifice twice when they give up their civilian jobs in order to serve our country.

Roughly 1 percent of our population serves in the military. And as we consider the impact those individuals have had on the world, defending freedom and protecting democracy, Winston Churchill once said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

So today, to honor that debt, I would ask you to take time to honor service members, past and present, in at least one of several ways.

First, volunteer to help a veteran or service member, regardless of whether you are a veteran or not.  We have many wounded veterans in our world who need your compassion and your support.  Find a way to help them, whether through Veterans Affairs offices or state and local government outreach programs.  Given that we as a nation are at war today, there are many families in communities all over the country who could use a helping hand.  For many of those on deployment, knowing their families are receiving support while they are serving in the armed forces can bring reassurance and peace of mind.  There are dozens of ways you can show your support to our nation’s heroes.

Second, make an effort to promote military service for our youth.  In a time of war, volunteers for service are hard to find, but I think promoting military service goes beyond that—we need to do a better job of letting our younger generation know that the military is a viable and valuable career option with unlimited opportunities.

And finally, if you are a vet, please share your story with others.  Let everyone know what you’ve done so they can see the many faces of military service and appreciate the personal service of their neighbors.  If you are not a vet: find someone in your life that is a vet and ask them about their service—or simply say thank you.

The more we talk about what we do and the impact military service has on our lives, the better able we are to hold it up as an example of excellence.

We have many, many examples of courage, service, and sacrifice to reflect on today.  Let’s use this opportunity now, and on Veterans Day in the years to come, to celebrate service to our nation, to demonstrate the appreciation we have for our military and to inspire future generations to dedicate themselves in the name of the many that have come before them.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”  Today, we give thanks to live in a country where citizens from every generation willingly and courageously raise their hands to stand the watch.

For all those veterans here today—thank you for your service and your sacrifice.  I share the pride you feel in being able to count yourselves among that one percent — the greatest military in the world.

For all those not in the military, thank you for choosing to share this special day with us and show your support of our heroes, past and present.

Thank you.

 Chris    Sajnog United States Navy Seals

                                                                                           C

You know you’re a Freemason if….

See if you can relate to all 22 of these Masonic traits. Take the test and see how many you may identify with.

1.  When you look at your vacation pictures, you realize that every day you are wearing a different Masonic tee shirt.

2.  Your neighbors think you are a waiter working at a fine restaurant because they see you wearing a tuxedo most evenings.

3.  You can keep a secret.

4.  When stopped by a police officer you hand him your dues card instead of your license.

5.  When you see an older building you scrutinize it for Masonic symbols and cornerstones.

6.  When you’re driving down the street  and you see a car ahead of you with a square and compass emblem, you race a head and pull alongside to see if you recognize the driver.

7.  When you open your desk top drawer or dresser you see your dues card collection.

8.  If you see a man wearing a ring or a lapel pin, you look to see if it is a Masonic ring or pin.

9.  The only home cooking you get is at lodge.

10.  When you are in church you say SMIB at the conclusion of a prayer when the rest of the congregation says Amen.

11.  You drive through parking lots looking for Masonic bumper stickers.

12.  Your favorite chair at home faces east.

13.  When you stop at a crosswalk and after you look to see if it is safe to walk you knowingly stop off as a Entered Apprentice.

14.  You have a love hate relationship with canned green beans.

15.  You Google historical figures or people currently in the news to see if they are Freemasons.

16.  When you knock on someone’s door you expect them to knock back.

17.  When you see your doctor for pain in your elbow, and he asks if you have been playing tennis, you say no, been flipping pancakes.

18.  If you start most sentences with the phrase, “when I was a Master…”.

19.  Your wife informs you she is expecting and you secretly (for a fleeting moment) wish to name the child (if it is a boy) Hiram or Mason.

20.  After coffee in the morning you look at your Masonic ring and say to yourself, compass points in or out today?

21.  You think real men wear aprons.

22.  You don’t like to walk counter clockwise.

I Am The Guy.....

Have you ever wondered what happened to the Brother(s) you raised awhile back?

Here is a idea that may help answer those questions. Hope this helps.

I am the guy who asked to join your organization

I am the guy who paid his dues to join.
I am the guy who stood up in front of you and promised to be faithful and loyal to the Fraternity
I am the guy who came to your meeting and no one paid any attention to
I tried several times to be friends but they all had their own buddies to talk to and sit next to.
I sat down several times alone but no one paid any attention to me.
I hoped very much that someone would have asked me to take part in a fund raising project,
activity, or something. No one saw my efforts when I volunteered.
I missed a few meetings after joining because I was sick and could not be there.
No one asked me at the next meeting where I had been.
I felt it did not matter very much to others whether I was there or not.
The next meeting I decided to stay home and watch TV.
The following meeting I attended but no one asked me where I was at the last meeting.
You might say I am a good guy, a good family man, who holds a good job, loves his community and his country.

You know who else I am? I am the guy who never came back.
It amuses me how the heads of the organization and the members discuss why the organization is losing members.
It amuses me to think that they spend so much time looking 

for new members.When I was there all the time.
All they needed to do was make me feel needed, wanted, and welcome.

                                                 

Its getting pretty busy around here

The fall  Minnesota Masonic activities are ramping up. Lots of things going on...here is just a peak.

A New Knight Mason

Today I had the honor and privilege to have been invited to join the ranks of the Minnesota No.34, Knight Masons.

The Green Degrees have their origins in the earliest records of Masonry.There are indications I that the Knight Mason degrees may have had their development before the Master Mason. Based in the ancient rituals of the Irish Masonic Canon.

 Here's a little more information if you wish:

The Knight Masons arrived in this country in May, 1936 when three Councils were chartered in North Carolina by the Grand Council in Ireland. The degrees of Knight Masonry were anciently styled the "Green Degrees". In the 1960's control of these degrees in the U.S. passed from the Grand Council in Ireland to a Grand Council in the U.S.A., which meets annually during the Allied Bodies Meeting in Washington, D.C. Membership is by invitation and is predicated on membership in the Royal Arch Chapter. The degrees conferred are:

Knight of the Sword

Knight of the East

Knight of the East and West

Installed Excellent Chief

                                                                                   

A Place in the Lodge: Dr. Rob Morris,Freemasonry and the Order of the Eastern Star

Author Nancy Stearns Theiss grew up a stone's throw away from the home of Rob Morris, an influential member of the Freemasons and founder of the Order of the Eastern Star. She details his life in a new book released by Dog Ear Publishing. Morris, a prolific writer, created poetry for special events such as funerals, dedications and Masonic gatherings across the United States and in Canada, earning him the title of poet laureate for Freemasonry in the 19th century.

"A Place in the Lodge: Dr. Rob Morris, Freemasonry and the Order of the Eastern Star" is based on more than 200 letters Morris and his family members composed while Morris was traveling. His family was numerous - he and his wife, Charlotte, had nine children, seven of whom made it to adulthood. From the beginning of his initiation March 5, 1846, in Mississippi, Morris worked to spread the message of the Masons, who considered education as something for the country's rising middle class, not just the wealthy.

Morris worked as a teacher, traveling salesman and, eventually, Masonic lecturer. He founded the Order of the Eastern Star, a fraternity open to both men and women that was one of the first organizations to give women a voice in local and national issues. (Today that organization has more than 430,0000 members belonging to 4,600 chapters all over the world.) Morris' letters are a snapshot of the 19th century, touching on issues about education, pioneer living, the women's movement and the growing divide between the North and the South. This intriguing book shines a light on a pivotal historic figure whose legacy has remained. Masonic lodges still revere his most famous poem, "The Level and the Square."

Nancy Sterns Theiss is the Executive Director of the Oldham County Historical Society which is located in LaGrange Kentucky.
The historical society runs a history center that includes the J. Chilton Barnett Archives and Library, Peyton Samuel Family Museum and Rob Morris Educational Center, which is in the former Presbyterian church where Morris lectured and recited his poetry.

Stearns Theiss and her husband, Jim, live on the family farm close to LaGrange, Ky., where Morris' name still resonates today.

For additional information, please visit www.robmorrisfreemason.org

"A Place in the Lodge: Dr. Rob Morris, Freemasonry and the Order of the Eastern Star"
Nancy Stearns Theiss
Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4575-3917-6 164 pages $19.99 US
Nancy Stearns stated in Goodreads:

" It took me two years to write this book that I transcribed from letters written by Rob Morris and various family members. I also visited sites that he either visited quite frequently of lived. I was impressed with his determination to seek a place for women in the fraternity of Freemasonry- many charities and communities have benefited from Morris's efforts

Information provided by Dog Ear Publishing, Goodreads and Wisdom Digital Media

Shriner Hospitals a Shrine of Mircles

“A Shrine of Miracles”

by Noble Robert W. Pinkerton (Zenobia Shriners, Northwest Ohio), (1925-1994), courtesy of Masonic Poets Society.

I’d like to tell a story

It’s a happy episode

of a miracle that happened

to a family down the road.

They lived a block or two away.

It doesn’t matter where.

A man, his wife, and three young kids

with one in a wheelchair.

They’d go for walks and wave to us.

We’d smile and say “Hello.”

Why one was in a wheelchair,

for years, we did not know.

Another neighbour said the boy

was born with bones deformed.

They took him to a clinic where

some tests had been performed.

The doctors who examined him

said, “There are indications,

your boy may some day walk if he

has certain operations.”

Said one who diagnosed him

when the boy was only four,

“It may cost ninety thousand,

if we help him...maybe more.”

When they were told about the cost,

they knew it couldn’t be.

Those people struggled just to feed

and clothe their family.

“Why, it would take a miracle,”

said his father, “Who could spend

the money for such treatments,

that would cause his bones to mend?”

“Our hopes were all for nothing,”

cried his mother in despair,

“It looks like he will spend his life

inside that old wheelchair.”

Now a man his father worked with

was a member of the Shrine.

He said, “We’d like to help him,

And it won’t cost you a dime.”

“The hospitals,” he told him,

“that the Shriners operate,

are well equipped and proven;

So, why don’t we set a date?”

Within a month their child

was examined and accepted,

then sent for consultation

where the Shriners were connected.

With surgery and treatments

and the many years of care,

the best of specialists worked with

the famous doctors there.

His every cost was paid for;

his meals and transportation,

as well as for his parents,

there were free accommodations.

Today, that boy is seventeen.

Ten years of therapy

and at the cost of Shriners,

he now walks like you and me.

He plays with kids outside our door.

He runs and rides his bike.

I’m awed as I remember what

before, his life was like.

And he’s just one of thousands

of that burned or crippled hoard

of children who need treatments

their parents can’t afford.

The Shriners gave a new life

to this crippled boy, but then,

I know it was a miracle

from G-d through hands of men.

I’ve always known that Shriners

seemed to have a lot of fun,

but I had never realized

the noble work they’ve done.

And since I was a witness

to this miracle divine,

I pray each night for blessings

on this boy … and on the Shrine.

Minneapolis Scottish Feast of Tishri Celebration

                  

                               Hurry and get your Reservations                                                             

An Introduction to York Rite Freemasonry

I thought you may find this interesting
The following video is an introduction to the three bodies of York Rite Freemasonry: the Royal Arch, the Cryptic Council and the Knights Templar. Produced for the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Indiana. Created by Christopher Hodapp, author of Freemasons For Dummies and the Templar Code For Dummies.

California Masonic Symposium

                                                 

                                                              Evolution of the Masonic Ritual

The 15th Annual California Masonic Symposium, held Sept. 19 in San Francisco and Sept. 20 in Pasadena, offers Master Masons* a fascinating opportunity to explore the history of the Masonic ritual – from the first evidence of the “Mason word” to the practices used by lodges today.                     REGISTER TODAY

This year’s speakers are:

• Robert G. Davis. The 2008 Henry Wilson Coil lecturer and a fellow of the Institute for Masonic Studies and the Scottish Rite Research Society, Davis is also a member of the steering committee of the Masonic Information Center of the United States. He is secretary of the Guthrie Oklahoma Scottish Rite, a past master of three Oklahoma lodges, and the author of "The Mason's Words: History and Evolution of the American Masonic Ritual" and "Understanding Manhood in America."

• Arturo de Hoyos. The 2015 Henry Wilson Coil lecturer, Davis is the grand archivist and grand historian of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Supreme Council, 33°, Southern Jurisdiction. He is a renowned authority on the history and rituals of the Scottish Rite and most other Masonic organizations. A past master of McAllen Lodge No. 1110 in Texas, he will be initiated as a fellow of the Institute for Masonic Studies during the Symposium.

The speakers’ presentations will be complemented by panel discussions, moderated by Past Grand Masters John L. Cooper III and R. Stephen Doan.

Each session will conclude with a live exemplification of how a man was made a Mason in the manner suggested through the “Edinburgh Register House Manuscript” of 1696 and other early sources.

Don’t miss this this opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of Masonic ritual, while connecting with Masonic scholars near you.

Minnesota Masonic Charities 11th Gala

The Minnesota Masonic Charities is celebrating its 11th Gala!( I cant believe its been that long already) It will be held on September 26,2015 at the beautiful Land Mark Event Center. The money raised will go to all those wonderful charities that we sponsor.You know the Scholarship program,Matching Grants,University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer, and Childerns Hospitals etc,

The dinner is pretty good, and the Company is great. So think about it, and give it a try if your not one of the regulars. Don't wait there is usually a limited number of tickets.

If you note my hands were dirty in the photo. Sorry I was working in my gardens when the mail arrived.I was excited to open the invite...sorry.

Brotherhood on the Road

The Masonic Motorcycle Club International is hosting its annual Conference, Meeting and Elections August 9th thru the 14th 2015 in Batavia New York.

Over 90 members from its 33 chapters have converged for a few days of Freemasonry on two wheels. Its members come from Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Canada, Italy.

The events planned this year as in past years are designed to have full days of visiting the local sites, and eating local food and riding thru the beautiful landscapes.

This year they will visit Niagara Falls, the Erie Canal, Lockport Cave, and will include an 83 mile ride thru Letchworth State Park. Oh..and throw in an ice cream social, wine tasting and some other stuff too. What I think is the premier Masonic visit of the trip will be to the grave site of William Morgan. remember...?  The guy who claimed to be a Freemason and threatened to publish the Masonic secrets, and who mysteriously disappeared in 1820. Known now as "THE MORGAN AFFAIR."

I have found that the Masonic Motorcycle Club is not a bunch of tired old Masons, but are a bunch of active motorcycle enthusiasts who are tied together by Freemasonry.

The Masonic Motorcycle Club has high requirements  compared to others. You have to be a Master Mason in good standing. We encourage active participation, but there is no requirement of attendance or service.

I can say I am a proud member and I only ride a Trek (which they knew when I joined). If you are interested in joining or starting a chapter in your area click on the link below or pick up the phone and give them a call. to get more details.

http://masonicmotorcycleclub.org/

Keep the shiny side up Brothers - Happy Trails.

6th Annual Masonic Restoration Foundation Symposium

                                 Click on the image to enlarge

A Test a Masonic Story

The Test

Author Unknown

Several years ago, the story is told of a Mason who always wore his Masonic ring and lapel pin when in public.

On some occasions, he rode the bus from his home to the downtown area.

On one such trip, when he sat down, he discovered the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it."

Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter; who would worry about this little amount.

Anyway, the transit company gets too much fare; they will never miss it.

Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver with a smile replied, " I noticed your Masonic ring and lapel pin.

I have been thinking lately about asking a Mason how to join. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.

You passed the test.

Can you tell me how to become a Mason?"

When the Mason stepped off the bus, he said a silent prayer, "Oh God, Great Architect of the Universe, I almost sold you and my beloved Masons out for a mere quarter."

Our actions are the only Masonic creed some will ever see.

This is a really almost scary example of how people watch us as Masons and may put us to the test even without us realizing it!

Always be diligent, whether it be at the theater, restaurant, grocery, service station or just driving in traffic.

Remember, whether it be a lapel pin, a ring, or an emblem on the car, you carry the name of our great fraternity on your shoulders whenever you call yourself a Mason.

You never can tell who might be watching!

First Impressions are Important

                                                                           

     While on a shopping trip to purchase a gift I came to understand that first appearances can have a lasting effect on a person.

     Not so long ago I wanted to purchase a very special gift for someone in my family. The store was in the Mall of America. I drove to the Mall and parked my car in the parking ramp just outside of the Nordstrom’s department store. I walked into the store where I was very warmly greeted by one of the store employees. I heard the comforting homey sounds of a piano being played. I saw the piano by the escalators. The pianist was wearing an emerald green formal dress and had a beautiful smile on her face and she played a lite classical piece.

As I walked past the perfume counters. I could feel the scents wrap around me and crept into my nose have a very warm and pleasing effect. As I looked around I realized that the Nordstrom company worked very hard using colors and tasteful décor, carpeting and highly

Polished floors, sounds and salespeople to create a sense of well being. Nordstrom’s wants their customers to feel good so they may linger and spend more time in the store and spend more money and feel that their visit was a satisfying experience and will want to return.

      I had a similar experience the first time I walked into a small Bait and Tackle store near Birchwood WI. I was greeted by the owner; the shop was as neat as a pin. The merchandise was professionally arranged in a manner that it was very easy to find things. Even the fat head minnows looked happy. I knew that this was my kind of place. My first impression was that I would get good service and advice. The cost of the purchases was what I expected and my time will not be wasted. I had become a good customer over the years.

    I think that we can take the principals from my two stories that “First impressions are important” and apply them towards our Masonic lodges and meeting places.

Ask your newest members what their first impressions are. When they stood in front of the building did they find the building neatly maintained with an attractive sign? What is their impression when they walk inside? Is the building well lite, and neat and clean and tastefully decorated? I suggest you develop a list of these first impressions and determine what some of the changes would be a benefit and develop a plan for achieving them and set a time for when they will be accomplished.

We want our lodges to be places where the members feel comfortable, and satisfied with the time they spend there. We want members to take pride in their lodge and think of their lodge as a special where they will return often and be an active member.

Good first impressions are tough to beat!

If you are interested in a check list to analyze your lodge Id be more than happy to send you one. Just e mail me or give me a call.