From the East

I hope that your summer has been exciting, I know that mine has. It’s time to pick up the tools and begin working again. We have a busy schedule planned for the next couple of months and your participation will be greatly appreciated.

Believe it or not, the Masonic year is actually winding down and we are looking for brethren to fill positions in the line. This may be the year to take a more active role in your Lodge.

Brethren, at our last stated meeting in June we had an unusual occurrence happen. Two candidates opted out of the Grand Master’s Class to take their journey through Masonry the traditional way.

We were privileged to have three Past Grand Masters: MWB David L. Dresser, MWB William P. Mayberry, Sr. and MWB James M. Williamson; and our Deputy Grand Master RWB Terry W. Posey present to initiate the two grandsons of MWB Dresser. Other members of the Lodge assisted in the work of the evening. WB Jim Simko did a fine job with the lecture and Bro. Tom Adams did his usual fine job with the charge.

Please join us in welcoming our new members into the Lodge and help us to make them feel welcome. Newly obligated EAs are Bros. Michael A. Miller and Jonathan D. Miller, two blood brothers who, as you read above, decided to receive their degree work the traditional way. These are the two grandsons of MWB. Dresser.

Grand Master’s Class

At the state-wide Grand Master’s Class held on June 13, 2009, 2340 men were raised. In the Second District, held at the Dayton Masonic Center, 235 candidates (largest in the state) received their three Masonic degrees. That class included nine candidates from Far Hills Lodge, including MWB Dresser’s son-in-law Bro. John E. Millstead, Jr. Other new brothers from the one-day class are Bro. Eric M. Bull, son of Bro. John E. Bull, Jr., Bro. Sean K. Fickert, son of Bro. Robin S. Fickert; Bro. Thomas A. Harris, grandson of Bro. Thomas N. Harris, Bro. Mark T. Seitz, son of Bro. Thomas A. Seitz; Bro. Anthony D. Tomlinson, Bro. Robert Tomlinson, step-sons of WB Lloyd O. Nickell; Bro. Christopher R. Wamsley and Bro. Matthew A. Mattingly, friends of WB Jack M. Harless.

I-CARE

The main mission of Masonic Senior Services/I-CARE is to link senior Masons, their wives and widows, and Eastern Star members to services in their community that will allow them to remain healthy, safe and independent in their own homes as long as possible.

An in-home assessment is available to provide convenience, privacy and individual care in linking unmet needs with available services. Each of the I-CARE Coordinators has extensive knowledge of their area’s available services for seniors.

Lodge Education Officer

On August 5, 1884 on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor, the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid.

On October 9, 1880, the American Committee of the Statue of Liberty issued an invitation to the Freemasons Grand Lodge of the State of New York.

On August 5, 1884, in response to that invitation Grand Master William A. Brodie, assisted by his associate Grand Lodge Officers, laid the cornerstone of the pedestal of the Bartholdi Statue of Liber Enlightening the World, on Bedloe’s Island, in New York Harbor.

The copper box placed under the stone contained many rare memorials. Among the were nineteen bronze medals from the United States Mint, representing as many Presidents of the Federal Government who were all proven Freemasons; a copy of the United States Constitution; George Washington’s Farewell Address; copies of New York City newspapers; a portrait of Bartholdi; a copy of Poem on Liberty by E.R. Johnes; and a list on parchment of the Grand Lodge officers.

Although cornerstones of public buildings and monuments had been laid by representatives of the Grand Lodge from the beginning of the history of the State, voices of opponents began to be heard questioning the propriety of the procedure. The Grand Master took occasion, therefore, to offer worlds of explanation at the laying of the cornerstone of the Statue of Liberty. He said that the Fraternity had been called upon for this service because it had become a common law of practice the world over to invite the Masonic craft to lay the cornerstones of public structures, in time honored recognition of the fact that, symbolically at least, the Freemasons of the present are the descendants of the ancient operative Masons who built the world’s great masterworks of architecture.

There was, besides, a special reason: “No institution has done more to promote liberty and to free men from the trammels and chains of ignorance and tyranny than Freemasonry, and we, as a Fraternity, take an honest pride in depositing the cornerstone of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.”

Bro. Frederic A. Bartholdi was born April 2, 1834 at Colmar, Alsace, France. He passed away in 1904. He was the designer of the Statue of Liberty. Bro. Bartholdi convened his Lodge members to review the statue before it was shown to the United States committee. He was one of the early members of Lodge Alsace-Lorraine, Paris, France.

From the Secretary’s Desk

Any questions or problems regarding membership, dues, suspensions, reinstatement from suspension, petitions or awards should check with John Weyrauch. We can make special arrangements according to the situation of each individual brother or just answer your questions. Dues are comin’!

Blood Bank

Brethren, we do have a blood bank account set up at the Community Blood Center. When you donate tell them that it is for the account for Far Hills Masonic Lodge #784. We will get credit for each pint of blood donated. Brethren, this is one way to help others by giving something of yourself.
Thanks,
-Bro. Ron Seigla

Annual Communication

October 16 & 17
Toledo, Ohio

The governing body of Ohio Masonry is the Grand Lodge of Ohio, F & AM, located in Worthington, near Columbus. Each year the Grand Lodge holds an annual communication to dispense with business necessary to govern Ohio masonry and to elect new officers.

The Annual Communication is held in different cities and this year it will be held in Toledo on October 16 & 17.

Since it his highly likely in the normal progression of the officer line that the Deputy Grand Master advances (if elected by the members present at the convocation) to Grand Master, the present DGM, RWB Terry W. Posey, will be elected Grand Master in Toledo.

The Past Masters’ Club of Antioch Shrine has been asked to be the Honor Guard for his installation on Saturday. A bus has been hired to transport anyone desiring to go to Toledo on that Saturday (17th) morning and return later in the afternoon. For details or to reserve your seat, contact Mike Johnson at (513) 885-1627 or (513) 737-6576.

Open Houses

At the statewide open houses mandated by the Grand Master the words used to describe the event were: “excitement” and “success”. Check out the article in the May/June 2009 issue of the Beacon.

A Warm Masonic Tale

This is a story of Masons surrounding a campfire in the Old West, at night, discussing the Fraternity and its teachings. One old man listened patiently, then finally spoke up.

“I can tell you more about Masonry in a little example than some of the great Masonic philosophers can in books.

Everybody stand up and gather in a circle around the campfire,” he said. They did that.

“Now, everybody hold hands with the man next to him,” said the old man. They did that, too.

“What do you see looking ahead?” asked the man. “The face of a brother through the flames,” said one participant. The old man asked, “What do you feel in front of you?” The response was “the warmth of the fire” and “the comfort it brings on a cool night.” The old man continued, “What do you feel at your side?” They responded, “the warm hand of a Brother.”

“Okay,” said the man, “Drop your hands and turn around.” The did so.

“Now what do you see as you look ahead?” asked the old man. The reply: “Complete darkness.”

“What do you feel at your side?” “A sense of loneliness, of being alienated.”

He asked, “What do you feel at your side?” They answered, “Nothing at all.”

Finally, the old man asked, “What do you feel on your backside?” They replied, “The warmth of the fire.”

“So it is with Masonry,” said the old man.

“In Masonic gatherings you can feel the warmth of Masonic interaction. You can see the face of a Brother through the light Masonry brings to you, and you can always feel the warm hand of your Masonic Brother.

When you turn away from Masonry and are out in the world, you see darkness, feel alienated and alone, and you do not feel the warm hand of your Masonic Brother. But Masonry, and the warmth and light it brings, are just a turn away from you.”