I am Prince Hall's Freemason

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Number 166 – April 07, 2008

The following essay comes from a Mason who is, sadly, unknown to me; I just can’t remember who wrote it. I received it years ago, and have always liked it. It is well done, and I think you will see the value in it too. Ed

I am Prince Hall’s Mason

by Brother Kevin Gem

I am Prince Hall's Mason, not a Prince Hall Mason. From this point forward in my life, I will no longer claim to be a Prince Hall Mason but rather Prince Hall's Mason. Regardless of what additional words come before or after the tolerance of my jurisdiction I can only call myself by name, Prince Hall's Mason. I will conduct myself as he did and I will practice my individual Masonry the way he did. He has set a stellar example for me to model my Masonry after and it is one I choose to follow

I will not allow one particular religion to find its way into my Lodge room because I was handed a set of constitutions that prevent me from doing that.

I will say my prayers in the name of the Grand Architect of the Universe, that Supreme Being that all men can agree on. My first members were from various religions and it does Freemasonry no honor to not include them within my prayers. How can I exclude those men who walked the trail to that Irish Constitution Lodge beside him through a soon to be war-torn countryside? Their sons sit beside me in Lodge today and it is imperative that I honor them. I am Prince Hall's Mason.

I cannot allow you to creep your politics into my Lodge room. For the men who traveled that night to change history forever were not walking to take up a political position. They were walking to join a Fraternity. No "T" was etched in the minutes of their meetings or a side chosen in the coming war solicited from them to receive those degrees. Upon receiving their charter in 1787, no one asked them to conduct acts of rebellion against their country or to espouse the cause of a political party. How can I solicit for a particular party within my Lodge or allow the repeating of State-Policy to be declared when he did not? I am Prince Hall's Mason.

The ballot for membership will be cast in fairness and based on the Morality of the man and not his Nationality or his position in Society. Men of many races have knelt at the altar from time immemorial and I have called each one Brother. It has long been a forgotten piece of the Constitution and if it is your choosing to allow a man to be excluded from entering the Holy of Holies based upon his race it is your heart that is unclean. But should your heart be exposed and your clandestine act announced, I shall remove it

from the doors of my Lodge. When he received the charter there was no man that was excluded based on race or nationality because he himself was once excluded. Was he not my example? I am Prince Hall's Mason.

He himself was not a "Prince Hall Mason," nor was he "Mainstream," "4 Letter, 3 Letter, or any other titular association" attached as a suffix or a prefix to the title he most revered. He was only a Freemason, and understood there was no higher acknowledgment he could receive then to be called Brother. Why should I consider myself better then he? I am Prince Hall's Mason.

He himself chose the long path to legitimacy over the short walk to spuriousness. He was a practitioner of Freemasonry by the rules established and followed them to the letter. He never denied a knock at his door for visitation and welcomed all who would consider themselves worthy to approach who could prove their selves to be justly, perfectly, and regularly initiated into our order. Who am I to establish a requirement above his? I am Prince Hall's Mason.

Yes Brother, from this point on I am Prince Hall's Mason because I owe my existence to that man's journey on that night. If I must travel, why should I stray from the path laid down before me and pursue the easier course? He is my example and I will attempt to be yours.

Words to live by: “A Person lost in his work has probably found his future.” anonymous

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 the Masonic Monday question for the week of 04/07/08 is: Masonically, what are Fool, Dotage, Libertine, and Profane?

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 erhmasonic@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line and you will be added to the list to receive the publications. Past issues of all of Ed’s publications can be read at http://www.halpaus.net

With brotherly love,

Ed Halpaus

Thoughts from a Brother

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Number 149 – December 10, 2007

From St. George’s Banner, September 1992, Brother Kevan Van Herd, editor

Thoughts from a Brother
(Editorial from Bro. Jim Robertson's Desk)

If you ask a Brother why he became a Mason, you often receive a variety of answers. Some joined because a friend whom they respected was a Mason, and encouraged them. Some joined out of filial respect; it was a family tradition, some because they were intrigued by the mystery of Fraternity. Whatever the reason for joining the reasons for remaining a Mason are quite as varied. For some, the theatricality of the ritual is an alluring element. For some the fellowship is an essential part of attending Lodge. For some it is an obligation which they accepted freely, and continue to feel obligated to the Fraternity.

For many it is difficult to define what continues to connect them to Masonry. "Once a Mason, always a Mason", may be true on one level - once in receipt of the secrets they cannot be expunged by either suspension or expulsion. But once having all the Light that can be conferred up you in a Master Mason's Lodge, one has only begun to learn what it is to be a Mason.

There are some practitioners of the Craft whom we are proud to stand beside in Lodge. They have taken their obligations outside of the Temple and practice those tenets of our Fraternity in their everyday lives. It is these examples to young Masons that determine whether we become Freemasons in the true sense of the word or merely card carrying members of a social club.

[If] it is not to develop, through interaction with the Brethren, a greater inner strength and equilibrium in our lives, then we are neglecting one of the most important elements Masonry has to offer. Education and moral development are our stated aims and though the Brotherhood we must strive to attain them. It is believed that through the group we can make good men better. But this can only succeed if all participate.


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 The question for the week of 12-10-07 is: “Why are, 'Worshipful Masters” called Worshipful?”

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.

With “Brotherly Love”,
Ed Halpaus

Marked Men

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Number 96 – November 13, 2006

From “Rays of Masonry” by M.W. Brother Dewey H. Wollstein, 1953 edition Macoy Publishing:
PGM of the Grand Lodge of Georgia and editor of the Masonic Messenger.

“Marked Men”
by Dewey H. Wollstein, PGM

not long ago there appeared an article in which the phrase "marked men" was used in connection with Masons and Masonry. The more you think about it the more you realize the significance of the words. The Mason is marked by the enemies of Masonry; he is marked by the non-Masons who are friends of Masonry, and he is marked by his brother Masons.

The man who becomes a Mason immediately takes upon himself a greater obligation as a citizen, a hus­band, a father, and as a moral and upright person. He is accepted into Masonry only after he has voluntarily petitioned a lodge and has been carefully investigated as to his mental, moral and physical qualifications. He must have the capacity to love humanity and he must have the urge to grow morally and spiritually. The man must ever seek Masonry. Masonry is a great deal more interested in its strength through the strength of the individual than in numerical values. The Mason then is the recipient of the highest wisdom of the ages, and because of this truth more is expected of him. Privileges and opportunities create greater responsibilities.

By the enemies of Masonry he is watched with eyes of hate, and even his best deeds and purest motives may be distorted to the extent that his enemies will discern that which is not there.
By the friends of Masonry the Mason is also a "marked man." They want to see him live up to the ideals of Masonry. As non-Masons they do not know about the school of Masonry, but they know about the product of the school—the Mason. They seek to sup­port the Mason and Masonry in every laudable under­taking. But by the same token let the Mason fall short of his duties and obligations and his friends must direct criticism not only against him as an individual but against the Craft.

Then among our brothers we are "marked men." We mark our brothers as men in whom we place implicit trust and confidence. We give strength to each other through that trust and confidence. When the world refers to Masons as "clannish," it must be recognized as half-truth. Men who are associated together for the purpose of moral and spiritual development must natu­rally seek to achieve that divine purpose through fel­lowship and association.
Truly we are Marked Men.


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Fraternally,
Ed Halpaus

Dress Code for Lodge

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Number 97 – November 20, 2006

Fraternal Filler ~ A Matter of Opinion
By Bro. John Worlein, editeur du jour

October 2006

“Around the Lodge”, we often hear men discuss: How does one dress for Lodge?

Many Lodges have a ‘dress code’ for officers and Brethren; others are more casual or perhaps even host a “come as you are” attitude. Older members may feel that wearing better clothes shows ‘respect’, that’s the way they were brought up. Younger members have likely not had this same upbringing and may view wearing a coat and tie as an unnecessary formality. Considering the wide age difference between the younger and older Masons (with no substantial middle age group), this can cause some misunderstandings and perhaps even a little friction.

While at the Mayo clinic recently, I observed how people waiting for appointments were dressed. I speculate that the average age was 60 years or older. Close to three-fourths of those viewed – both men and women - wore denims and a polo shirt. Most of the balance wore very average everyday clothing and only 3 or 4 percent wore ‘dressier’ clothing, sports coat or blazer for men and dresses for women. 20 or more years ago few persons would have wore denims in such a public setting and many more would have ‘dressed for the occasion’. People today obviously have a very different philosophy regarding their public image than in the past, and in the main, I am in agreement.

Nonetheless, I approach the issue of dressing for ‘Lodge’ from a more traditional point of view. It can be very similar to dining out with friends, that special dinner at a fancy restaurant will be the same whether you dress for it or not, but it is the preparation and anticipation that helps ‘set the stage’ and the focus to make that event memorable.

A Lodge Communication is no different, without your personal preparation and the anticipation of a meaningful and satisfying evening; it will most likely be just another ‘meeting’, the waste of a clean shirt as I view it.

If you think about it, dressing for ‘Lodge’ consists of a lot more than just donning clothing; your attitude needs to be ‘dressed’ as well. A Masonic communication can be a very uplifting experience if everyone is properly prepared for it in mind and spirit.

Wearing the right clothing implies a seriousness and mindset for what will happen that evening. And is not just for your own benefit either, your brethren will notice and if there are candidates, they too will realize the sincerity involved. I’m not speaking about ‘over-dressing’ with gaudy or inappropriate formality, but rather in serious, workmanlike apparel and attitude.

One lodge I attend has a simple dress code – dark suit, white shirt and plain bowtie, it is not a substitute for a tux, simply attire that is dignified yet not attention getting – the attention is placed elsewhere – on Freemasonry.”

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

Masonry's Decalog

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Number 99 – December 04, 2006

Brother Albert Pike in his book Morals and Dogma on pages 17 & 18 describes
Masonry’s Decalogue.

“Masonry has its Decalogue, which is its law to its initiates. These are its Ten Commandments

I. “O .•. God is the eternal, omnipotent, Immutable Wisdom and Supreme Intelligence and Exhaustless Love.
Thou shalt adore, revere, and love Him!
Thou shalt honor Him by practicing the virtues!
II. “O .•. Thy religion shall be, to do good because it is a pleasure to thee, and not merely because it is a duty.
That thou mayest become a friend to the wise man, thou shalt obey its precepts!
Thy soul is immortal! Thou shalt do nothing to degrade it!
III. “O .•. Thou shalt unceasingly war against vice!
Thou shalt not do unto others that which thou wouldst not wish them to do unto thee!
Thou shalt be submissive to thy fortunes, and keep burning the light of wisdom!
IV. “O .•. Thou shalt honor thy parents!
Thou shalt pay respect and homage to the aged!
Thou shalt instruct the young!
Thou shalt protect and defend infancy and innocence!
V. “O .•. Thou shalt cherish thy wife and thy children! Thou shalt love thy country, and obey its laws!
VI. “O .•. Thy friend shall be to thee a second self! Misfortunes shall not estrange thee from him!
Thou shalt do for his memory whatever thou wouldst do for him, if he were living!
VII. “O .•. Thou shalt avoid and flee from insincere friendships!
Thou shalt in everything refrain from excess!
Thou shalt fear to be the cause of a stain on thy memory!
VIII. “O .•. Thou shalt allow no passions to become thy master!
Thou shalt make the passions of others profitable lessons to thyself!
Thou shalt be indulgent to error!
IX. “O .•. Thou shalt hear much: Thou shalt speak little: Thou shalt act well!
Thou shalt forget injuries!
Thou shalt render good for evil!
X. “O .•. Thou shalt study to know men; that thereby thou mayest learn to know thyself!
Thou shalt ever seek after virtue!
Thou shalt be just!
Thou shalt avoid idleness!

“But the greatest commandment of Masonry is this: ‘A new commandment give I unto you: that ye love one another! He that saith that he is in the light, and hateth his brother, remaineth still in the darkness.’

“Such are the moral duties of a Mason.”

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

A Lodge

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Number 100 – December 11, 2006
The Lodge
By Brother Joseph Fort Newton

A Lodge is a body of men so organized that they move and work together as if many men had but one body. The Operative Freemasons were under necessity to work together as a body because they were engaged on the same task, at the same time, under one supervision. They knew that nowhere, nor under any circumstances, could a public building be erected if each man worked alone; nor was it a mystery that they had a room for themselves, because they had to think together, decide together, know their places and designs together, and to receive at one time instructions for their labor. Insofar as they were a body of men of flesh-and-blood, working together because it was impossible to work alone, we also in Speculative Freemasonry are a body of flesh-and-blood men in an actual and literal body, and not in any abstract or unreal sense, because ours is the same Lodge as theirs. If we say that it is a symbolic Lodge it is not because we have turned the Lodge itself into a symbol, but because we as Speculative Masons do not make the same use of it that Operative Masons did. In one sense it is impossible to put this meaning into words, because to possess it fully and for himself a man must enter into it, and become a member, and learn it by experience; in another sense it is not difficult to put it into words, though they would fall short; if expressed in words the meaning of the Lodge when symbolically used would be expressed in some such fashion as:—"A Masonic Lodge was a body of men. The men formed a body in order to do their work in architecture. Craftsmen could not act adversely or independently of each other when constructing a building. This necessity for working as a body was true of Operative Masons; it is also true of any men engaged in any work. To be in association, to act collectively, for many men to be as if they were one man, is everywhere necessary in work. If you cannot sustain yourself, or give your family the food, housing, furniture, clothing, and medicine which they must have in order to live, if to have those things it is for you a question of life or death, then you must be able to work together with other men, to be in association with them, to cooperate with them, to go through the days with them peaceably and harmoniously, to be in a brotherhood with them, to lodge with them, because not otherwise can you continue to work, and without work you will cease to be.
"If any man thinks that he can be a lone wolf, if he believes that brotherhood, and fraternalism, and friendliness are Utopian ideals and luxuries of sentiment or unreal dreams, he is a moron or a fool. The brotherhood of men in work is not a dream but a stark reality, not a vision but a necessity, for without it any man would starve to death and peoples would perish. Freemasonry does not hold brotherhood, which is membership in a body of men at work, before us as a desirable but remote ideal, hanging in the skies of some unattainable future, but knows it to be a necessity, and not only a necessity but one which may even be for some men a cruel necessity, because it is an iron law of things. We are not Brothers because we hope to be but because we already are; we are not Brothers because we desire to be, but because we must be."
The Lodge itself is the form taken by brotherhood in Freemasonry, so is it also Masonic sociability. Masonic fraternalism, Masonic association, is not a frame-work or background, is not an opportunity or occasion, but is itself what these things are. In substance as well as in form it is unlike any other body of men, certainly it is not to be confused with collectivism, socialism, or communism, which are either economic or political forms of association. It is not consistent with individualism if by individualism is meant that competition in which men prey upon each other; but it is consistent with competition if by competition is meant that emulation of who best can work and best agree.

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

Top 10 ways to kill a Lodge

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Number 69 – May 01, 2006


The Top Ten Ways for Lodge Leadership to Kill a Lodge.


10. Don’t give recognition to any Brother for helping with anything.

9. Don’t present any longevity awards, and if asked just say “the Grand Lodge doesn’t do that any more.”

8. Not only allow cliques to form - encourage them by starting one yourself.

7. Ridicule the appearance of a member who doesn’t meet your idea of a dress code

6. Refuse help, and continue to refuse it until the members quit volunteering.

5. Don’t hold any open Masonic functions; give the impression that everything that Masons do is secret.

4. Don’t put the name and phone numbers of the Master and Secretary on the door, so that if a visiting Mason or someone else would like to contact someone from the Lodge they don’t know who or how to reach a member.

3. Don’t have your Lodge participate in any civic or town activities. That is something for Service Clubs to do.

2. Have something else to do on Lodge nights, skip some Lodge Communications, and when you do come to Lodge let the Brethren know what you gave up to be there.

1. Never bring in new members.


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

Masonic Morals

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Number 65 – April 3, 2006

Dear Brethren, this issue of Mehr Licht is delayed just a little because I was away attending the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education. This is a great conference to attend for those who are interested in promoting Masonic Education in the various jurisdictions in the Midwest, which includes the Province of Manitoba. Thanks to the generosity of Brother Rick Bowersox of Iowa, the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education now has a web site: http://www.mwcme.org/ this site is so new there isn’t much on it right now, but bookmark the site, and check back later - there will be more added to it as soon as can be.


From the “Voice of Masonry and Family Magazine,” August 1883 edition.

Masonic Morals
By William Fletcher James

Our venerable institution of Masonry is coeval with the most ancient traditions and history of man, and will continue to coexist with him as long as faith, hope, charity, fraternal love and sociability remain tenets of his moral code. Few, if any, of the other organizations of mankind have survived the lapse of so many centuries. Few, if any, other of these institutions have been so potential in the accomplishing of good. The laurels of the Fraternity have not been won in the arena of either military or civil strife. War, contention and discord are the antipodes of Masonry, and can find no room within its peaceful and harmonious precincts. Its victories are such as moral forces win; its banner is the olive branch; its power—faith, hope and intelligence; its fruits—charity, friendship, brotherly love and the elevation of its adherents. Its rewards are the approbation of the good and the blessings of the sick, distressed and needy. Among its tangible monuments are its thousands of magnificent temples scattered throughout the world, from which as often as the lodge opens and closes therein, homage is rendered to Him in whose hands rests the destiny of all human institutions. Other monuments of Masonry, almost as numerous, are its libraries, furnishing to multitudes in every civilized land convenient and cheap facilities for reading and consulting the works and best authorities on almost every subject of useful knowledge. Such, my brethren, are the benefits—such the monuments—of our Fraternity, which render it so worthy of our help and esteem, which have preserved it unimpaired through the changes and vicissitudes of the ages, which still renew its vital forces, and will perpetuate its existence in full vigor so long as the members of the Brotherhood remain as they have in the past, and as they do to-day, true to the requirements of Masonry.

Let each of us therefore become an inquisitor of his own conduct, and ask himself the question: "Am I a moral, upright man and Mason, and have I acted and walked ever as such?” He who is unable to answer this question in the affirmative well knows that he has not been true to his solemn obligations, and that as the excellence of the institution can only be judged by those unacquainted with its mystic ties, from the outward deportment of its members, he is pursuing a course calculated to impair the good name of Masonry, which by the highest considerations of duty and honor he is bound to magnify and protect by his own moral and upright deportment.

An unworthy, immoral Mason, is much worse than a drone in a hive, and after brotherly advice and expostulation fails to work a reformation, he should be expelled; not only because he has become recreant to his high duties as a Mason, but to preserve the good name of our sacred institution.

The remark just made suggests that the greatest care should be taken at the door of every lodge, to guard it against the entrance of every man of doubtful character, or dissolute or immoral habits. "For none but the upright, moral and good, are fit to be allowed to approach our sacred altar.”While the initiation of the worthy adds strength, the initiation of the unworthy is a source of weakness and discredit to 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

Benefit of Young Masons

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Number 64 – March 27, 2006


From “Rays of Masonry” by M.W. Brother Dewey H. Wollstein, PGM of the Grand Lodge of Georgia, and Former Editor of the Masonic Messenger.



For the Benefit of our Young Masons
By Dewey H. Wollstein, PGM

Often we hear the criticism of a Mason, the recital of some act on the part of a brother, which reflects upon the craft as a whole.

For the most part, it seems to this writer that we are over-critical of our brothers, but perhaps in this way we have maintained a standard of moral excellence which is respected by almost the entire world, with the exception of those who bow to the dictates of tyrannical leaders, political or religious, and are not permitted to see any good in the Masons or Masonry. In these cases the critic does not own his own soul, so there is little that can be done except to offer pity.

However, many times, the young man will talk with a non-Mason, who is always willing to go to great effort to explain “why he will not become a Mason.” His purpose is to confuse the candidate or young Mason.

But note carefully. Generally, the person who makes such an effort to discuss a subject of which he knows nothing, is one who cannot enter the portals of our institution. Many times he is the fellow who judges according to standards which he cannot attain for himself.

Let us understand well that there are men in every community who represent in their lives the ideals and principles of Masonry, but have never taken the degrees of Masonry. These men, however, have the wisdom to refrain from discussing a subject with which they are not conversant.

The best suggestion we can make to the young Mason is this – look around you. Consider the character and lives of the men in your community who are Masons. Many have known you since your childhood days. Discuss Masonry with Masons.



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,

Wayfaring Man - Manslayer

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Number 61 – March 6, 2006

I like Aesop’s Fables, and when I was reading in them a while back I came across a couple that might be considered to have a Masonic flavor. I think they contain truth in an interesting way, which is what Masonry also has in its allegories and that’s why they might sound familiar to a Mason.

Brother Michael Poll has Aesop’s Fables, as well as other good books on CD Rom at a very good price. If you’re interested in seeing them check them out at http://www.lostword.com/



Truth and the Traveler

A WAYFARING MAN, traveling in the desert, met a woman standing alone and terribly dejected.

He inquired of her, "Who art thou?"

"My name is Truth," she replied.

"And for what cause," he asked, "have you left the city to dwell alone here in the wilderness?"

She made answer: "Because in former times, falsehood was with few, but is now with all men."

The Manslayer

A MAN committed a murder, and was pursued by the relations of the man whom he murdered.

On his reaching the river Nile he saw a lion on its bank and being fearfully afraid, climbed up a tree.

He found a serpent in the upper branches of the tree, and again being greatly alarmed, he threw himself into the river, where a crocodile caught him and ate him.

Thus the earth, the air, and the water alike refused shelter to a murderer.



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"My Masonic Ring"

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Number 53 – January 09, 2006

My Masonic Ring
By Worshipful Brother Quentin M. Blackstone
From a not remembered source

"What lodge are you from," the man behind the counter queried? I had said nothing to indicate my affiliation with the Masonic order.
"Oh, you're a Mason!” a young man exclaimed, "My father is a Mason." Again I had made no mention of my belonging to the Fraternity.
The tell-tale culprit, I knew, was the Masonic ring on my right hand ring finger.
Wearing my Masonic ring has for me become as much a statement of pride as of fashion; it is also, a source of inspiration for others and myself.
I received this Masonic ring from my Lady as a Valentine's Day gift. Mine is a simple ring. Made of yellow gold, it has a red oblong stone inlaid with the square and compasses with the letter "G". A trowel and plumb adorn alternate sides of the ring. It's quite distinctive. I have seen the beautiful and elaborate settings of diamonds, birth stones, and other precious gemstones. For my fashion sense, I like the quiet elegance of my Masonic ring.
I wear my Masonic ring daily. I wear the ring with a sense of pride because I am proud to be a Mason.
As the above examples indicate, people see my ring and ask about it. Usually the individual already knows about Masonry, recognizes the emblem, and makes a comment.
As a nurse, I work in nursing home facilities. I have been amazed at how a Masonic ring inspires memories of Masonry in the elderly. Residents will recognize my ring and spontaneously recount their experiences.
I met one man, who rarely spoke to anyone, and he eyed me suspiciously as I approached him with his scheduled pills. Suddenly a smile came to his face as the man sat up in bed and pointed to my new Masonic ring. Then, he pointed to his Masonic ring which was worn smooth with age. He began a conversation about attending lodge meetings. His smile showed that he took great joy and pleasure in being a Mason.
At another nursing home, there was the man who, upon finding that we were fraternal brothers, looked for me daily, at 2:45 pm as I came on duty. He would always wave and say hello. And he and I would talk Masonry. Almost every time that I passed his doorway he would have something to say about Masonry. I would have to pull myself away from the discussion to do my work.
One particular woman, I was told, did not like men. It was expected that she might not take her pills from me. Standing at her doorway, I could see her lying on her bed facing the opposite wall. I knocked on her door and announced that I had her scheduled pills. The woman made no attempt to move. Out of habit, I reached over her prone position to show her the pills in the small paper cup.
"Oh, you're a Mason!" the woman exclaimed with as much pleasure as surprise. She turned and looked me in the eye with a smile, saying, "My husband was a Mason." “I was in Eastern Star, of course," she said matter-of-factly. The tone of her voice changed to a softness and friendliness that led me to believe that she felt safe. Even though she did not know me, she did know that I was a Mason.
In one facility, a young man working as a nursing aide simply stated "You're a Mason, I see." pointing to my ring finger. I gave him a "What is Masonry" brochure. He was inspired by my ring to make comment which inspired me to spread the word about Masonry. In this manner, my fashionable ring is, also, my appropriate advertisement for the fraternity.
Finally, in a fast food restaurant, a young male worker said to me, "You're a Mason, I'm a DeMolay." That statement immediately launched us into a discussion that concluded with his admission that his desire was to join the Masons as soon as he comes of age. It is this kind of recognition between Masons and DeMolays that fosters these young men to enter our fraternity.
I like wearing a Masonic ring for the combined effect of a fashion statement and my pride as a member of this fraternity. I also, enjoy the unexpected fellowship derived from memories of Masonry elicited by my ring in the elderly at nursing facilities. To non-Masons my ring encourages the interest in Freemasonry. This is how Masonry unites all mankind in fellowship. This is how Masonry advances the fraternity. This is how we are identified as Masons. This is my Masonic ring.

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

Masonry: A Life Philosophy

Mehr Licht!
More Light!

Number 49 – December 12, 2005

Masonry: A Life Philosophy
By Rear Admiral Joseph L. Howard 32°
Published originally in The New Age magazine April 1971 for the Scottish Rite S.J.

Masonry is founded upon the idea of the Brotherhood of Man.
It is a way of life that stresses public service, patriotism, and a profound belief in God.
The idea we find in Masonry is best described by the word har­mony. We recognize differences in opinion. We recognize that our members go to different churches, engage in different pursuits, pur­sue different personal interests.
Yet, as Masons, we can work in harmony, not only among ourselves, but with others who are not Ma­sons.
We know that Masonic Lodges all over the country are deeply en­gaged in vigorous programs of pub­lic service, of private charities, of social improvement, and youth opportunity projects.
All these things are worthwhile human projects. They are the re­sults of efforts by people to raise the state of civilization.
These things are vitally impor­tant to all of us. But they are crea­tions of people. And it is the peo­ple who are most important.
Thus, the vital thing that Ma­sonry does is to inspire people by creating an environment in which good works and public service are respected and honored.
Masonry appeals to the conscience of men. It reaches to the inner­most convictions of individual men. It is an uplifting force that gives real meaning to such ideas as per­sonal integrity, honesty and the higher motivations of mankind.
It offers, in short, a philosophy by which men can be guided, a set of standards to which men can as­pire, a way of life with which men can readily identify and work hard to fulfill in the process of every­day living, on the job, at home, in sports, at leisure, and in contemplative thought.
It is inspirational, for people. And this is what makes Masonry so vitally important in our times. And this is what makes Masons, as individuals, particularly important in communities throughout the world.
Masonry is doing a lot of good things, in its quiet and unobtrusive way, in its many programs. But the total contribution of Masonry, to the well being of our country, extends well beyond these worthy endeavors.
The purposes to be served by Masonic programs transcend the immediate and important prob­lems of local interest.
In fact, the ultimate contribution of Masonry can have a significant bearing on the destiny of our country and, perhaps, the future of the world.
We are living in a time of com­pletely new dimensions; new dimensions in speed, in distances, in time projections. We even have new measurement terminologies.
And things continue to change. We are witnessing new magnitudes of change and a quicker rate of change.
Some of these changes have radically altered our way of life. Man travels faster. He sees more. Television brings him right into the heart of happenings on the other side of the world. And we can now make complex computations at fantastic speeds.
All these things are changing our outlooks and our attitudes as well. Some of these have shaken the very foundations of our thinking.
The bomb, the pill, the computer, the satellite, the moon shots, new heights in the sky, new depths in the sea, all present a dazzling array of human accomplishments. And there's more yet to come.
Modern technology has shattered many of our previous physical premises. And because of this, many of our spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, and philosophical premises have also become suspect to some people.
Across the country, we see evidence of the abandonment of basic values men have honored for centuries.
Witness the rioting, pillaging, and burning in our cities, the violence on our campuses, the reckless consumption of drugs, the alarming rise of crime in our streets, the protests and demonstrations that become anarchy and sedition.
On the other hand, among otherwise responsible citizens, we see growing dismay, a sense of withdrawal, the avoidance of com­mitment, and cynical respectability in such




phrases as "count me out," "don't get involved," "it's some­body else's problem."
Now, more than ever before, there is need for each of us, indi­vidually, to reaffirm our belief in the values that have brought us, as a people, to a position of leader­ship and influence in the world.
These are the values we have traditionally placed in truth, per­sonal integrity, self-respect, profes­sional ethics and the respect we have always had for justice, reason­ableness, common sense, and the rights of all individual human be­ings.
Most of all we must cherish our belief in the supremacy of man over machines, of people over in­stitutions, of the basic dignity of the individual person. Each of us has his own contribution to make.
We all depend on one another. This is the nature of a higher order of society.
Our interdependence is the com­panion of our higher state of civil­ization.
None of us can withdraw. And for that reason, we all have a stake in the philosophy by which everyone else is guided.
This is the point at which Ma­sonry faces its magnificent opportunity.
Masons can lead by example, because they are inspired by a philosophy that raises men's sights to a higher plane.
Masons are taught, and they live by, precepts of human conduct that place high values on integrity and on respect for the basic dignity of the human spirit.
This is the kind of thinking, and action that must be applied in solving the larger problems of our society. It is precisely the applica­tion of the precepts of Masonry that is needed, not only in dealing with the broader national prob­lems facing us, but in the interna­tional arena as well.
Well, how do we achieve this? It can be done primarily by the commitment of individual Masons to spread, by word and deed, the philosophies they live by under Masonry.
Each of us, individually, should bring the message of Masonry into broader arenas. We should all make the broader commitment to speak to various groups, to the local service clubs, to school groups, labor organizations, young peoples' groups.
In short, Masonic patterns of thought, and habits of action should be made visible in areas well beyond the circle of our own lodges, so that the good ideas of Masonry can take root and flourish far and wide.
Masonry has so much that is good, and solid, for the benefit of the whole world.
This is the great contribution that Masonry can bring to the world today. It is in the rearticulating of the principles by which we live. It is in the reaffirmation of our belief in those same Masonic values that contributed to the crea­tion of the United States in the first place.
The things we have all done, over the years, in the name of Ma­sonry, have been the result of much hard work by many dedicated Ma­sons.
Today, we face a new challenge. And that is to carry the philosophy of Masonry to the far corners of the earth, and carry it, not in the name of Masonry, but as indi­viduals who live and act according to Masonic teachings. This is not a challenge to Masonry as such. It is a challenge to Masons, as indi­viduals.
The United States is a strong, virile, and vigorous Nation. We need only to marshal our re­sources and to bring the power of our best ideas to bear on all the problems facing us today, at home as well as abroad.
This is not a job for just one man. It is not a job for a hundred men. Or a thousand.
It is a job for 200 million Ameri­cans. Masons can provide magnifi­cent leadership in this endeavor because ours is a philosophy that brought forth a Nation founded upon human freedom.
It is upon the foundation of Masonic philosophy that the Na­tion began. It is upon that same foundation that we can build a greater Nation for the future and contribute to a better world for all time to come.

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 erhmasonic@ncis.com 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

On Being Master

Mehr Licht!
More Light!

Number 48 – December 5, 2005

From the Philalethes First 50 Years CD Rom
The Worshipful Master is Master of the Lodge by Douglas Smith, Jr., P.G.M. - VirginiaFrom the Philalethes Magazine 1969
A few pointed paragraphs which may be helpful in the conduct of the affairs of the Master's office

BE MASTER!
Act like one . . . in your bearing be worthy of the title which sets you apart for the time.a. Be dignified, but not stuffy. In dress, in carriage, and in behavior in the Lodge.b. Be friendly, but not frivolous in handling your Lodge or its business.c. Be firm of opinion, but not inflexible - your election carries with it no sign of infallibility - even Worshipful Masters may err in judgment.d. Be courageous, but not cocky. The small man throws his weight about; the big man uses the weight of his judgment and ability to carry his point of view.e. Be exemplary, but not sacrosanct. Feigned piety and self-deification can destroy the value of an otherwise conscientious living of Masonic principles.BE PREPARED!a. Be well informed in the Ritual and its meaning, but delegate its performance to your officers.b. Be well informed as to your duties and responsibilities. Study the Officers' Manual and the Methodical Digest.c. Be prepared for each meeting - you tell the Secretary what the minutes will be, and share an agenda with your officers.d. Plan well ahead - even though you may find a change necessary, you can't always get the program you want on the spur of the moment.e. Time is of the essence - check it for the minutes, for the Ritual, for balloting, for Catechisms, and business - if you are overlong, hold a second meeting.f. Delegate authority - a good leader directs others and doesn't try to do it all himself.SHOW LEADERSHIP IN ACTION!a. Be the first to sympathize and congratulate - in the latter case, especially the new Initiates and members who have done outstanding acts in the community.b. Be the last to condemn before knowing the facts - many Lodges and good Masons have been ruined because of hasty conclusions based on unfounded gossip.c. Be always available and never too busy to lend an understanding ear to the problems of your members. Many will come to you BECAUSE you are the Worshipful Master.d. Be the first to whisper good counsel in the ear of an erring Brother - sometimes it takes more courage than you believe yourself to have, but often it may save a life.LIVE A BELIEF IN MASONRY AND ITS PRINCIPLESa. Believe with a great faith in God - Freemasonry does not concern itself with what you believe, but that you believe in God the Creator of all things and without this, all else is lost.b. Believe with your whole heart that there is a Modern Mission for Masonry in our time. If you think that Masonry is passé and that it has been superseded by civic clubs and other like organizations, then your contribution to its future is limited.c. Believe that your Lodge and you have a destiny to help meet this challenge, and resolve to make it and you a part of it!HOPEHave an eternal hope that the battle is to be won by a continuous fight for that which is good in life.LOVEYou must love to love people and like things. There is a brief story about a young man and his older sister who on one occasion averred, "I love ice cream." He sagely observed, "No, sister, you like ice cream - you love people.""HE WHO WOULD BE MASTER MUST FIRST BE SERVANT OF ALL."In fine:If you have the wisdom of Solomon; the patience of Job; and the love as described by St. Paul in the 11th Chapter of First Corinthians, you have the basics of becoming a great Worshipful Master.GOOD LUCK - AND GOD BE WITH YOU


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