Prayer: E.A. Degree

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Number 182 – July 21, 2008

Dear Brethren,

Below is something I put together a long time ago, and evidently just filed it away. In sorting out some old files I came across it, and thought you might like to see it. I don’t think that this has been published before.

What follows has to do with the Prayer at Opening the Lodge as well as the first Prayer given and heard in the Entered Apprentice Degree. This information is not esoteric or private, nor are the prayers referred to even though they are part of a degree.

Sometimes a question will come up about where the prayers on the first degree come from. According to Worshipful Brother Robert G. Davis, a past president of the Philalethes society, they came from the same place, or person, and that ‘one’ is - Brother John Pennell.

Brother John Pennell was the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in the early 18th century. He was also the Editor of the "Irish Book of Constitutions," which was first published at Dublin in 1730. The second edition was published in 1744 and the third in 1751. It is said that the Irish Constitutions was based on "Andersons Constitutions of 1723."

In this "Irish Book of Constitutions" is a two-paragraph prayer. Brother Pennell is not believed to be the one who wrote it, but he is believed to be the first one to publish it. This two-paragraph prayer is, or has become, the Prayer at opening and the first Prayer of the first degree.

The first paragraph of the Prayer begins: Great Architect of the Universe, the giver of all good gifts and Graces. Thou hast promised that 'where two or three are gathered together in Thy name Thou wilt be in the midst of them and bless them. In Thy name we have assembled and in Thy name we desire to proceed in all our doings. Grant that the sublime degrees of Freemasonry may so subdue every discordant passion within us - so harmonize and enrich our hearts with Thine own love and goodness - That the Lodge at this time may humbly reflect that order and beauty which reign forever before Thy throne."

The Second Paragraph of the prayer is: "Vouchsafe Thine aid almighty Father of the universe, to this our present convention; and grant that this candidate for Masonry may dedicate and devote his life to thy service and become a true and faithful Brother among us. Endue him with a competency of Thy divine wisdom, that by the secrets of our art, he may be the better enabled to display the beauties of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, to the honor of Thy holy name - Amen"

So when a Mason is in Lodge and hears the opening Prayer given by the Chaplain, or when he is at a First Degree and the Master of the Lodge gives the Prayer as the Entered Apprentice first enters the Lodge, that Mason should know that what he is hearing has been the same Prayer that has been heard by Masons since about 1730.

Words to live by: Education is what’s left over after you’ve forgotten all the facts.

Please remember: if you would like to participate in the latest Masonic Monday Question, please go to http://www.lodgebuilder.org and click on the Lodge Education forum. When you have an answer send it to masonicmonday@gmail.com the Masonic Monday Question for the week of 07/21/08 is: “Define each of the following and give its relationship to Freemasonry: a) Jacobean; b) Jacobin; c) Jacobite;d) Jacobian”

More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by email at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to erhmasonic@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publications. Some past issues of Ed’s publications can be read on the Web at: http://www.halpaus.net

With “Brotherly Love”,

Ed Halpaus

Grand Lodge Education Officer

Squirrels Among Us

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Number 139 – October 01, 2007

From the newsletter of the Masonic Lodge in Forest Lake, MN we have the Secretary’s column written by the then Secretary, W. Brother Mike Hill. I always like Brother Mike’s insight and his writing; I think you will too.

Squirrels Among Us

Squirrels had overrun three churches in town. After much discussion the elders of the first church determined that the animals were predestined to be there. Who were they to interfere with God’s will? They reasoned. Soon the squirrels multiplied.

The elders of the second church decided that they could not harm any of God’s creatures. So they humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free outside of town. Three days later the squirrels were back.

It was only the third church that succeeded in keeping the pests away. The elders baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

Sometimes it seems Masons follow the same course of action when it comes to increasing membership. There are several men outside of our Lodges who have heard about Masonry and/or have a sense of the good works we do. They want to belong to an organization, which brings a sense of family and promotes community service.

However, once a Candidate begins his degree work we forget the tenets that brought them and ourselves together. For instance, how many Lodges publish a “Greeter Schedule” in their newsletters? Yes, that would be two Brethren assigned to greet Candidates and visiting Brethren who attend Degree Work and Stated Communications.

How many Lodges have a “Mentors Program” to help candidates with their memorization work, which meets regularly? In fact, how many Lodges use the Mentors Program to learn and improve their degree work? How many Lodges use the Greeters & Mentors to learn about their new members and for the new members to become comfortable with the elder Brethren?

How many Lodge Brethren call Candidates or new Brethren before Degree Work or Stated Communications and offer to pick them up? How many Brethren go out after a community event for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie to chat about the highlights and enjoy the fellowship?

Lastly, it seems there are a lot of Brethren who believe it is up to the Grand Lodge to come up with a solution on how to make Masonry interesting so men will want to remain Masons and share the experience with their families…I wonder about this.


Please remember: if you would like to participate in the latest Masonic Monday Question, please go to http://www.lodgebuilder.org and click on the Lodge Education forum. Past Masonic Monday Questions and the current one may also be read on the Web Site for the G.L. of MN at www.mn-masons.org under Masonic Monday Q&A When you have an answer send it to masonicmonday@gmail.com This week’s question is: “Must all three chairs be occupied throughout the Craft ceremonies?”

More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.

Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus

The Black Cube

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Number 67 – April 17, 2006

THE BLACK CUBE
Excerpted and adapted from The MSA Short Talk Bulletin Nov. 1929.
By Brother Tim S. Anderson

Unfortunately, no hard and fast rule can be laid down on the use of a Black Cube when balloting. There is no way to explain "this is a good reason, but that is not a good reason" for casting a black cube. Each Mason has to judge the reason for himself. Yet some suggestions may be given.

We know a man we dislike. He has different ideas from ours. He belongs to a different "set." He is not the type that we admire. Our dislike does not amount to hatred, nor is it predicated upon any evil in the man's character. He and we are antipathetic; we rub each other the wrong way. When he applies to our lodge we must decide this question: will the unpleasantness to us, in having him as a member, be greater than the good to him which may come from his reception of the Masonic teachings? Are we sure that we cannot accept him as a brother merely because we "have never liked him?"

We all know cases like this; the president of the bank turns down Johnson's application for a second mortgage. Johnson makes the matter personal. He "has it in" for the president. The president applies for the degrees. Someone casts a black cube. It may or may not be Johnson. No one knows. But later perhaps we hear Johnson's boast "I got even with that son-of-a-gun who turned down my loan!" He doesn't say how he "got even," of course. But we are pretty sure we know. Such a use of the black cube is, of course, utterly un-Masonic. It is a misuse of a great power. We might as well turn down the minister of the Baptist church because he doesn't agree with our minister, who is a Methodist! Or turn down the automobile dealer because he refused to give us a larger allowance on our old car! To turn the Masonic black cube into a secret dagger for personal revenge is un-Masonic and indefensible.

Freemasonry works some curious miracles. A self-made man applied five times for the degrees in a certain lodge. The man was rather uneducated, yet a commercial success. He had, literally, raised himself by his bootstraps from the poverty of the streets to a business position of some prominence. Yet he was rather raw, rough and ready, even uncouth. No shadow of personal unworthiness rested upon him; he was honest, upright, a good citizen. In this lodge a certain Past Master (as was discovered in after years) voted four times against this applicant. The Past Master left the city. On the fifth application the petitioner was elected. Something in Masonry took hold of his heart. Through Masonry he was led to acquire some of the education that he lacked; through Masonry he was led into the church. In time he made such a reputation for himself as a Mason that he was put in the officer’s line, and finally achieved the solemn distinction of being made Master of his lodge. He is still regarded as one of the best, most constructive and ablest Masters that lodge has ever had.

In the course of ten or twelve years the absent Past Master returned. In the light of history, he confessed (which strictly speaking he should not have done!) that it was he who had kept this man out for what he really believed were good reasons. He thought the "rough neck" would detract from the dignity and honor of the Fraternity. Yet this same "rough neck," through Masonry, became educated, a good churchman, a fine Mason and an excellent officer.

Had the Past Master, whose black cubes were cast with honest intention to benefit the Fraternity, not left town the blessings of Masonry might forever have been denied to a heart ready to receive them and society, the lodge and the church been prevented from having the services of a man who gave largely of himself to all three.

The black cube is the great protection of the Fraternity; it permits the brother who does not desire to make public his secret knowledge, to use that knowledge for the benefit of the Craft. It gives to all members the right to say who shall not become members of their lodge family. But at the same time it puts to the test the Masonic heart, and the personal honesty of every brother who deliberates on its use.
The black cube is a thorough test of our understanding of the Masonic teaching of the cardinal virtue, justice, which "enables us to render to every man his just due without distinction." We are taught of justice that "it should be the invariable practice of every Mason, never to deviate from the minutest principle thereof."

Justice to the lodge requires us to cast the black cube on an applicant we believe to be unfit. Justice to ourselves requires that we cast the black cube on the application of the man we believe would destroy the reputation of our lodge.

Through justice to the applicant we are taught to render justice to every man, not merely to Masons. To symbolically cast no black cube for little reasons, small reasons, mean reasons. And justice to justice requires that we think carefully, deliberate slowly, and act cautiously. No man will know what we do; no eye will see, save that All Seeing Eye that pervades the innermost recesses of our hearts, and will, so we are taught, reward us according to our merits.

Shakespeare said, "O, it is excellent to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant!" The black cube is a giant's strength to protect Freemasonry. Used thoughtlessly, carelessly, without Masonic reason, it crushes not only him at whom it is aimed but also him who casts it.

A well-used black cube goes into the ballot box.

Ill-used, it drops into the heart and blackens it.

Remember: Always vote for the good of the Fraternity.


More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.

Fraternally,

Ed Halpaus

Past Master

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Number 60 – February 27, 2006

From the South African Freemason, reprinted in the Canadian Craftsmen, April 1893, and then reprinted in St. George’s Banner of St. George’s Lodge #41 Lodge Kelowna British Columbia in 2003)


Past Master on the Shelf
One of the most lamentable spectacles in Freemasonry is the Brother whose designation heads this article. He is to be found in almost every Lodge. Whilst a neophyte in the Order, his Masonic devotion knew no limits. At every meeting, he was sure to be there and when he received the honours of office his enthusiasm seemed to grow with his advancement. He it was who toiled at the Lodge of Instruction, at least when its programme was ritual only, who was always ready to fill the place of an absentee and to rail at him because he was not on hand, and above all, he was prime mover in every proposition to run another higher degree.
But the time came when he was accorded the highest honour that the Lodge has in its power to bestow, and then came the beginning of the end. At his Installation he made great promises, and doubtless meant to fulfil them, but when he had passed through his year of office, with more or less éclat, and had entered on the "otium cum dignitate" of the I.P.M.'s collar, he began to mysteriously talk of "the burden and heat of the day" and of the necessity of "giving a chance to younger hands" and his place at the left of the Master was often vacant, especially at regular meetings when there was no degree on. And when the I.P.M.'s collar had been transferred to other shoulders, the fall from grace came on apace.
Regular as well as working meetings saw a vacant chair on the dais, and the W.M. was often at a loss when he looked for someone to relieve him of a Charge or a Tracing Board, or help him in point of ruling. "Facilis est descensus Arverni", and soon the Wor. Brother is only on hand when an Installation or Ball gives him the opportunity of showing the crowd his dingy apron. He is for all practical Masonic purposes dead as a doornail, and although he pays his dues with commendable regularity, at least when the Treasurer looks him up, the Lodge forgets him as a factor in ns existence.
Such is the story of many a Masonic fossil, literally "on the shelf' and more is the pity of it all. If Masonry is worth anything at all it is worth cultivating to the end of one's active mental life, and he who drops out of it directly has nor acquired the potentiality of being truly useful, has never properly imbibed its sublime teachings. The P.M. on the shelf is a sorry spectacle and a blot on the Masonic escutcheon. Beware of falling into a similar state of dry rot - rather, be ready, honours or no honours, to do your Masonic duty so long as the Great Architect of the Universe gives you strength to put on an apron or frame a sentence of ritual.

More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.

Our Lodge Officers

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Number 57 – February 6, 2006

An old but entertaining piece that I found in
“A collection of St. Georges Banners 1992 - 2005”
By Brother Kevan Van Herd

Our Lodge Officers
By Anonymous

Worshipful Master
Leaps tall buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a locomotive is faster than a speeding bullet, and walks on water.

Senior Warden
Leaps short buildings in a single bound, is more powerful than a switch engine, is just as fast as a speeding bullet, walks on water if the sea is calm, and talks with God.

Junior Warden
Leaps short buildings with a running start and favorable winds, is almost as powerful as a switch engine, is faster than a speeding BB, walks on water in an indoor pool, and talks with God with special approval.

Deacons
Barely clear a Quonset hut, looses tug of war with a locomotive, can fire a speeding bullet, passes water, and is occasionally addressed by God.

Treasurer
Makes high marks on the wall when trying to leap over buildings, is run over by a locomotive, can sometimes handle a gun without inflicting self-injury, dog paddles, and talks to animals.

Stewards
Fall over doorsteps when trying to enter buildings, says, “Look at the choo-choo,” squirts self with water pistol, plays in mud puddles, and mutters to self.

Tiler
Runs into buildings, recognizes locomotives two out of three times, is not issued ammunition, can stay afloat with a life jacket, talks to walls.

Secretary
Lifts buildings and walks under them, kicks locomotives off the tracks, catches speeding bullets with his teeth and eats them, freezes water with a single glance, and answers only to God.



More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all 3’, in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.

Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus

Masons are being watched

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Number 47 – November 28, 2005

Thanks to Worshipful Brother Thomas Hendrickson, Senior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, and Lodge Education Officer of Cataract Lodge #2 of the GL of Minnesota, for pointing out this statute of Minnesota Law about it being illegal in Minnesota to wear a Masonic emblem if a person is not a Freemason. [Emphasis added by me.]


Statute 333.135 Improper use of insignia.

Every person who shall willfully wear the insignia or rosette of the military order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, or the badge or button of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans of the World War, or of any other veterans' organization, or any similitude thereof; or who shall willfully wear any badge, emblem, or insignia pertaining to the order of Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, or any other secret order or society, or any similitude thereof; or who shall use any such badge, button, or insignia to obtain aid or assistance, or who shall use the name of any such order or society for gain, unless entitled to so use the same under the constitution, bylaws, rules, and regulations of such order, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 60 days or by a fine of not more than $50 or by both.


From the October 1989 issue of The Trestle Board of the St. Paul Masonic Bodies.


Masons Are Being Watched
By Anonymous

Masons are being watched. Our Masonic Temples, Lodge Halls, Shrine Temples are being observed by the curious eyes of John Q. Public who wonders "what goes on in there?"
A deteriorated, sloppy, unpainted, and unsightly building that houses us is looked upon by many people as reflecting the image of the people it represents.
People gather an idea of what Masons are by what they see. It is up to all of us to do what we can to improve the image of ourselves, our buildings and grounds, and to see that they are well kept and maintained. Some replaced and relocated. Sight recognition is one of the most important assets that any film star can have to gauge his popularity with the public. Likewise, our Fraternity should demonstrate that we are as squared away ourselves as we would want any new members to be.
In any venture, the quality of the environment in which the venture is conducted contributes, in direct proportion to the quality, to the success or failure of the venture. Thus, our physical facilities must be compatible and conducive to the fulfillment of our purposes and objectives.
TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU Are Somebody's Impression Of Masonry!

More Light – Mehr Licht ©, Masonic Matters © and T.F.S. ©, are sent out by E-mail at no charge to anyone who would like to receive them. If you enjoy these publications please share them with others. To subscribe to any one or all of these publications just send an E-mail to ed@halpaus.net with Subscribe and the Title, or ‘all3,’ in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publication you want.

Fraternally,

Ed Halpaus