Regular Meetings First Monday of the Month (except as noted) Begins at 7:00pm sharp Collation to follow

Transcription

1 NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER JANUARY 10, Most Worshipful Paul F. Gleason Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts Right Worshipful Paul B. Craigie District Deputy Grand Master, 13th District Regular Meetings First Monday of the Month (except as noted) Begins at 7:00pm sharp Collation to follow All meetings to be held in Reading, 110 Haven Street TONIGHT S PROGRAM (1/7) Topic: Freemasonry through History presented by: Wor. Robert Cimeno NEXT MONTH S PROGRAM (2/4) Topic: Masonic Events to Boost Memeber Retention presented by: Wor. Paul McMahon

2 MESSAGE FROM THE EAST Brethren, I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and I wish you health and happiness in the new year. We re off to a bright start at the Thirteenth District Lodge of Instruction. This month s speaker is Wor. Robert Cimeno who will be giving a talk about Freemasonry Through History. It should be an illuminating lecture. Right Worshipful Paul Craigie is planning his Fraternal Visits for the coming year and he has asked Masters and Secretaries to let him know if your lodge has a preference for scheduling your lodge s visit. As we put 2018 into the past and move into 2019, I can t help but take stock of all the important things in my life and I ve found that I m very pleased with how we re doing at the Lodge of Instruction. Our officers have been attentive and helpful. The talks have been engaging. I think having a set location has helped with so much of the logistics for everybody. And the attendees are just about the nicest bunch of men I ve had the good fortune to meet. But I do wonder if there isn t room for a little more we can do to build upon the camaraderie, give our district another avenue to connect with one another, and have a little fun in the process. I d like you all to consider what kind of event that you d be interested in attending. We could plan something as simple as a weekend barbecue or an evening dinner, or something more organized like a Lowell Spinners game or Duck Boat Tour of Boston. We have plenty of options available, we only need to choose one and make it happen. This will be the topic for next month s talk where I will be discussing Masonic Events to Boost Member Retention. I hope we can find something that will interest us all and I look forward to hearing your ideas. If you have an announcement for next month s notice, please submit it to Wor. Jay Garrett (phone: or jay.freemason@gmail.com) or Bro. Keith Curtis (phone: or kcurt71@gmail.com) for inclusion in next month s newsletter. Best wishes, Wor. Paul J. McMahon, Jr. Worshipful Paul J. McMahon, Jr.

3 13TH LODGE OF INSTRUCTION MISSION STATEMENT LODGE OF INSTRUCTION OFFICERS WM, Wor. Paul J. McMahon, Jr SW, Wor. Patrick M. Fennelly JW, Wor. Jesse R. Plouffe Mar., Wor. Steve D. Dukas The Lodge of Instruction has been established to reinforce and encourage the practice of our Masonic tenets. It accomplishes this by providing education for candidates and information for Lodge Officers and members, in a friendly and social atmosphere. The main objective is to encourage personal growth, increase knowledge of Freemasonry and to uphold the traditions of our craft. Symbology: The learning lamp, providing light to education Chap., Wor. Carl Twiss carl.twiss@gmail.com Right Worshipful Paul B. Craigie THIRTEENTH MASONIC DISTRICT OFFICERS DDG MASTER: RW Paul B. Craigie / pcraigie64@gmail.com DDG MARSHAL: Wor W. Gordon Rogerson / Rogerson34@verizon.net DDG SECRETARY: Wor Anastasios N. Miliotis (Taso) / tasomiliotis@gmail.com DDG TREASURER: Wor Donald Scribner / papa835@rocketmail.com MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN: Wor Paul J. DeLuca / pdeluca1251@gmail.com SERVICE REP.: Wor Dominic J. Colanton / userdc@comcast.net LOI ASST. SECRETARY: Wor W. Gordon Rogerson / Rogerson34@verizon.net LOI LEAD INSTRUCTOR: Wor Robert A. Cimeno / rac47@hotmail.com COMMUNICATION REP.: Bro Jay Garrett / jay.freemason@gmail.com ASST. COMMUNICATION REP.: Bro Keith M. Curtis / kcurt71@gmail.com MASONIC YOUTH REP.: Bro Steve Dukas / sdukas@comcast.net MASONIC SCOUT REP.: Wor Stephen C. Phillips / phillips.stephen@comcast.net MASONIC WIDOWS REP.: Wor Kevin M. Conley / Bunner2234@yahoo.com

4 CONSTITUENT LODGES Star of Bethlehem Lodge, Est Salem St., Wakefield, MA 3rd Wednesday 6:00 p.m. StarofBethlehemLodge.org Wor. Richard Otte / rotte@yahoo.com Sec. Wor. Sergio Jaramillo / sergioj@verizon.net Dinner contact: Bro. Craig S. Foland at Next HELP Date: 1/19 Good Samaritan Lodge, Est Haven St., Reading, MA 1st Wednesday 6:00 p.m. GoodSamaritanLodge.org Wor. George J. Tzortzis / george.j.tzortzis@gmail.com Sec. Wor. James Baxter / baxter.jim@me.com Dinner contact: Bro. John Halsey at johnhalsey@verizon.net or Next HELP Date: 1/5 Mount Horeb Lodge, Est Arlington Rd., Woburn, MA 1st Tuesday 6:00 p.m. WoburnMasons.org Wor. Dan Daley / daniel.daley@gmail.com Sec. Don Coutoumas cell home angusaclown@icloud.com Dinner contact: Wor. Randy Smallwood at randysmallwood76@gmail.com Next HELP Date: TBA William Parkman Lodge, Est Arlington Rd., Woburn, MA 2nd Tuesday 6:00 p.m. Wor. Stephen Daniel Dukas /sdukas03@gmail.com Sec. Wor. Vincent Marino / vmarino@gmail.com Dinner contact: Bro. Stephen Vessella at or wpldinner@gmail.com Next HELP Date: 1/12 Golden Rule Lodge, Est Salem St., Wakefield, MA 2nd Thursday 6:30 p.m. Wor. John P. Perrino / ultwinjpp@yahoo.com Sec. R.W. George J. Bibilos / gbibilos@verizon.netm Dinner contact: Bro. Ray Christopher at rchrist852@aol.com or Next HELP Date: 1/12 Friendship Lodge, Est Church St., Wilmington, MA 3rd Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Wor. Mario Marchese / digger4385@netzero.net Sec. Bro. Richard Searfoss / secretary@friendshiplodge.com Dinner contact: Bro. Ed Torrel at or etorell@friendshiplodge.com Next HELP Date: TBA Lynnfield-Zetland Lodge, Est Salem St., Wakefield, MA 4th Thursday 6:30 p.m. Wor. Bruce Parker / mrbhparker@gmail.com Sec. Wor. Charles R. Austin / charlesa45@aol.com Dinner contact: Wor. Bruce Parker at or mrbhparker@gmail.com Next HELP Date: 1/26 Scimitar Lodge, Est Fordham Rd., Wilmington, MA (Aleppo) 2nd Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Wor. Thomas Foster / tom67gto@comcast.net Sec. RW. John J. Maihos / jmaihos@comcast.net Dinner contact: Bro. Steve Dalrymple at or rsvp@scimitarlodge.org Next HELP Date: TBA

5 FEATURED ACTIVITIES Arlington Masonic Building 19 Academy Street, Arlington, MA DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A SQUARE & COMPASS CLUB IN THIS AREA? We are a social group, who enjoy good food and drink on the 3rd Friday of each month at 6:00pm (Mar. through Dec.). If you would like a chance to socialize with your brethren outside of the Lodge then this is the place. Come play a game of pool, a game of cards, watch a ballgame, practice ritual, plan a lodge event or just sit and chat. The Malden Square & Compass Club, wants to invite you to come out and see what we are all about. Just contact any one of us to make a dinner reservation: Tim / tsmcgavin@yahoo.com Bob / euclidwm@gmail.com Mike / morris521@hotmail.com Ralph / cappy6262@netzero.com EVERY 3rd SATURDAY 9:00 11:00 AM Hosted by Good Samaritan Lodge: DONUT LODGE JAN. 19th Reading Lodge 110 Haven Street, Reading, MA Masonic family event, wives, kids etc., are invited.

6 MASONIC WISDOM THE VALUE OF MASONIC LIBRARIES Short Talk Bulletin, February, 1996 By: Michael S. Kaulback Bro. Kaulback is a Past Master and current Treasurer of Charles W. Moore Lodge, Fitchburg, MA. He is a graduate of Fitchburg State College and is serving the Samnuel Crocker Lawrencme Library, of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts as its Library Technician. As you read this STB please hear in mind that as Bro. Kaulback talks about The library in Boston he is really describing all Masonic libraries. Editor ARE YOU A MASONIC STUDENT? Masonic ritual teaches us to be general lovers of the arts and sciences, particularly geometry or Masonry. We know ourselves in this day and age as speculative Masons, not operative, as in the Middle Ages when the great cathedrals of the world were built by our brothers of long ago. What does the term speculative mean and how does this relate to our lives, both in and out of the lodge room, today? The definition of speculative, is: 1. Pertaining to, the nature of, or characterized by speculation, contemplation, conjecture, or abstract reasoning. 2. Theoretical, rather than practical. Simply stated it means to think and to study. We are all under an obligation to be Masonic students; from the moment we take the Entered Apprentice Degree, we cannot advance in Freemasonry without learning and reciting the lessons taught in that degree. As we proceed through the degrees in Masonry, many lessons are put before us to be learned, and more importantly, understood, before we can advance further. It is this continual learning process and our putting the lessons we have studied to use that makes us better men and better Masons. The true precepts of Masonry are meaningful only when put into practice and used in our day to day lives. One of the more famous names connected with modern Masonic literature is John Robinson. Mr. Robinson s book Born in Blood was written long before he entertained any thought of becoming a Freemason. He studied Masonry and became knowledgeable in its history and its philosophy. He became well known for his defense of Freemasonry on the radio and in print. When asked why he had not joined Freemasonry his response was I can do a better job explaining Freemasonry without being a member and have more credibility by not joining. Mr. Robinson eventually did join the fraternity because he admired its principles after years of having actively studied them. Here was a man, not even a Mason, who took the time to look into Masonry and its principles and philosophy and was so impressed by what he found that he undertook to defend Masonry without even being a member himself. The work of Masonry is to study! It is noble work which purifies the heart and clarifies the mind. The house of Freemasonry has many rooms; each room teaches different lessons such as brotherly love, charity for all mankind, love of deity, morality, truth, and tolerance. Freemasonry is a philosophy that teaches and brings out all that is good in man. That Masonry is a philosophy, a way of life, is the very essence of what sets us apart from other organizations. It is for this reason that all Masons should be Masonic students and we should all strive to read and study Masonry and put what we learn to use. It is the lessons of Masonry that unite us as brothers in the world wide fraternity of Masonry, for we know that we share a common philosophy. It is an interesting feeling to be asked by a non-mason What is Freemasonry? It is even more interesting when you, yourself, realize that you really don t know what it is. This can and does happen. Do you know if your Lodge or Grand Lodge has a library? If it has, have you visited or contacted it? Are you familiar with the latest books on Masonry and where to locate them? Do you know what the latest anti- Masonic books are and where to locate them? This last is an important question, for it is here that the study of Masonry shines through the clouds that the advocates of anti-masonry would have us believe exist. To answer the questions and charges brought against us as Masons we must understand clearly who we are, and be able to defend what we stand for. The only way to accomplish this is to read and study not only what we are but what we were in ages past, who were the Masons of long ago and how did they meet these questions. Our Masonic Libraries and Museums must be able to educate the public at large about our craft. They must serve as information sources to dispel the rumors and outright lies that are told to the public. Many of the people who disseminate this wrongful information do not understand Freemasonry and have themselves been given information that is skewed and twisted. We as the keepers of the Masonic Flame of truth must be the leaders in dispelling these rumors and be a source of light to the public. In a paper entitled Working Tools Less Used, John Platt, Director of the Masonic Library and Museum in Philadelphia explores the trials and tribulations of Masonic libraries and librarians. Here in Boston we have what is believed to be one of the best Masonic research libraries in North America. The libraries at Philadelphia, New York, and Iowa are also top ranked, as are several others. Masonic libraries serve the fraternity and act as keepers of the flame of Masonic literature and philosophy. We have the history and knowledge of Freemasonry at our fingertips, yet how many in the fraternity make use of this wonderful and useful working tool? The Boston Masonic Library has had a long and useful 181 years of helping to spread the light of Freemasonry in this state. In a report to the Grand Master in 1988, Bro. Robert A. Gilbert of Bristol, England, wrote: Although the library of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is among the most important of Masonic Libraries, this fact has not generally been recognized as it is both under-utilized by Brethren, and Masonic Libraries have yet to be integrated into the accepted academic and institutional library systems. Our Masonic Libraries are begging for Masons to make more use of them, but the sad truth is that the vast majority of Masons do not read or study about the Fraternity or its history. We here in Boston have a collection of Continued on next page

7 FEATURED ACTIVITIES over 100,000 Masonic titles and close to 50,000 non-masonic titles in our library, also over 60 drawers of clippings, Lodge histories, biographical materials, sheet music, book plates, postcards, and philatelic material all relating to Masonry. We otter not only reading material, but also video and audio material. We have a mailing service that all masons in the state can make use of and receive books or other materials delivered to their front door by mail. We are open to the general public and have been able to help many college students who have elected to study some aspect of Freemasonry for papers they work on. Their interests are many and varied, from Masonic artifacts to the study of Masonic philosophy itself. We also have a Masonic museum that contains items from 1733 on. Our history in this state has many famous names connected to it including; Joseph Warren, Paul Revere and other well known patriots. We in Boston are working towards the goal of computerizing this library to make it more user friendly and to enable the exchange of information between libraries both Masonic and non-masonic throughout the United States. This goal is most important to the Masonic Library and Museum Association, an international organization of Librarians, Archivists, Curators, and Directors, under the leadership of John Platt of Pennsylvania - President, and Cynthia Alcorn of Massachusetts - Vice President. This organization represents Masonic Librarians and Curators from all over the world and is active in solving the problems that are common to Masonic Libraries. It is exciting to see that the younger Masons that are joining are very interested in the written literature of Masonry. They seem to understand that Freemasonry is a study society and must be researched at length to be appreciated to its fullest extent. These young Masons are actively looking into the symbolism of our craft and looking for the deeper meanings of our rituals. Did you know that in some European Countries not only do the Candidates wait at least a year between degrees, but they have to write a thesis on how they spent that year as a Mason practicing the virtues of the degree they are working on? Then they have to read the paper before the lodge and have it approved before they advance to the next degree. In conclusion, let me reaffirm the importance of being a Masonic student and making use of your local Masonic Library. We must read, study and practice the lessons we are taught in the lodge in order to be better Masons, and better human beings. Take time out of our busy life, even if it is only minutes a day, to study Masonry and its philosophy, read a Masonic book, or discuss Masonry with a brother. You won t regret it! Pass this thought on to other Masonic brethren and introduce them to the light that we all seek as speculative Freemasons. We must remember that each and every one of us represent a link to the public and to potential members that may never have heard about Freemasonry until we talk to them about it. We must be our own publicity agents and salesmen if we expect to survive. In the past Freemasonry has always been an agency for good that was quiet, but represented a forceful presence that was well thought of. Today many people do not know of our existence, let alone the good we do in our charitable work every day. We all must read, act, and think as Masons each day to be true to our noble and gentle Craft. Visit your local Masonic Library and take out a book or two to read, you won t regret it. You will find some very knowledgeable people in your libraries that can help you to become better and more informed Masons, so don t be afraid to ask questions and discuss the topics that interest you, that is what we are there for. We are here to help further your Masonic Education and better prepare you to tell the world at large what our Craft is all about and what we represent. A human being cannot stand immovable and uninfluenced in the midst of life as a rock stands in the wash of the tide. His life goes on every moment influencing and being influenced. And life is full and rich, happiness comes, when we so understand ourselves, and the world, and the forces of nature that we can harmoniously adjust ourselves thereto. The report of what nature, the world, life really are, that is truth; and the items of information which we need to have in order to know the truth, that is knowledge. A wise man desires truth and seeks knowledge, not in order to pose as a scholar or a learned man, but in order that he may live happily. H.L. Haywood Wakefield DeMolay Recruiting New Boys Now! Seeking young men, ages interested in joining DeMolay. The Wakefield Chapter meets every 1st Wed. & 3rd Fri. of each month in the Wakefield-Lynnfield Masonic Building from 7pm to 9pm. DeMolay helps young men become leaders and better people. If you know any potential candidates, please contact Dad Steve Dukas at or sdukas@comcast.net. Don t you want your kids to learn and have Masonic values? Wakefield Rainbow Recruiting New Girls Now! Seeking young women, ages interested in joining Rainbow. The Wakefield Assembly meets every 1st Thur. & 3rd Mon. of each month in the Wakefield-Lynnfield Masonic Building from 7pm to 9pm. Rainbow helps young women become leaders and better people. If you know any potential candidates, please contact Mom Amy Raymond at or sdukas@comcast.net.

8 Have Your Lodge Meeting at Your Grand Lodge in Boston. The Grand Master has offered all MA lodges the opportunity to hold a special communication at the Grand Lodge s headquarters. Come see the wonderful Boston Masonic building that belongs to our fraternity, take in a tour of all the ornate lodge rooms and make a rememborable event. If interested in taking advantage of this offer, the building supervisor, Bro. David Harty at or dharty@massfreemasonry.org to discus dates, times and arrangements. HELPFUL WEBSITES Grand Lodge: District Website: Grand Lodge Service Department: Grand Lodge Education Department: Ask a Mason: MassMasons: Masonic Ambassador Site: Massachusetts Lodge of Research: tinyurl.com/lofresearch District Frank@Kautzlaw.com Masonic Health System of MA: Masonic Medical Research Laboratory: National Heritage Museum: Shriners International: Aleppo Shriners: Scottish Rite Northern Jurisdiction: Massachusetts York Rite: Massachusetts DeMolay: DeMolay International: Massachusetts Rainbow Jurisdiction: International Order of the Rainbow for Girls: Order of the Eastern Star, MA Grand Chapter: Order of the Eastern Star, Grand Chapter: ORDER OF DEMOLAY (WAKEFIELD CHAPTER) Master Councilor Robbie Gonzalez / robbiegonzalez89@yahoo.com Dad Advisor Steve Dukas / , sdukas@comcast.net Chairman Sean Quinlan / , sean@quinlan.org 1/2 Regular Meeting (1st Wed. & 3rd Fri. of month) 1/18 Regular Meeting (1st Wed. & 3rd Fri. of month) ORDER OF RAINBOW (WAKEFIELD ASSEMBLY) Worthy Advisor Jenna E. Raymond Mother Advisor Amy Raymond / , ayray333@yahoo.com 1/3 Regular Meeting (1st & 3rd Thursday of each month) 1/17 Regular Meeting (1st & 3rd Thursday of each month) HELP (HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT LOAN PROGRAM) HELP is Masonry in Action! (4th, 9th, & 13th Districts) Location: New permanent indoor location: 500 West Cummings Park Suite 1150 Woburn, MA Phone #: (same number) Time: Saturdays 9 a.m. to Noon (same hours) Help is always needed at HELP, know you can always just show up and your lodge will get credit for your being there. Any time you give is appreciated!