The District Light. information and Masonic Education December, 2018 ( Niagara B District )

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1 The District Light information and Masonic Education December, 2018 ( Niagara B District ) bhodwitz@gmail.com Welcome to the Lodge Every mason who enters a lodge room brings his gift of his presence. Just being there validates the message and intention of the Order. Let us remember to value each member and guest, and this means remembering to recognize, welcome, and communicate with each of them. Let s start with the ones who we may take for granted: The Faithful Few When the Master calls to order and you look about the room, You`re sure to see some faces that from out the shadows loom. They are always at the meetings and stay `til we are through; These men that now I honour are the Always Faithful Few. They fill the vacant offices or volunteer to do. They are who we rely on: the Always Faithful Few. There are many worthy members who will come when in the mood. When everything`s convenient they do the craft much good. They can be coaxed to step in and are necessary too, But the ones who never fail us are the Always Faithful Few. What Brings Us Out? The document which summonses us to lodge should inspire us to attend. Our Grand Master, M.W.Bro. Paul E. Todd, Says that he sees every summons that is sent out. He points out: The Master s message reveals a lot about the vitality of the Lodge. If it is congratulatory about work performed last month and outlines the upcoming social events, one gets a very positive impression of the Lodge. A message which scolds the Brethren for low Lodge attendance and other negative issues, leaves the reader with a less than positive impression of the Lodge.

2 District Light December, 2018 p.2 What Do We Find? Today, men at the West Gate are looking for truth embodied in an ancient moral framework that can be applied to their personal life. They seek the strength of group experience and the benefit of access to wisdom from those men who have come before them. They seek mature masculinity at its finest, embodying those virtues that have underpinned humankind's proudest achievements. They seek an opportunity to partake in inspiring conversations, marvel at ancient wisdom, and share their deepest fears and delight in the simple joy of spending quality time with other good men who are on a similar journey. David J. Cameron, Deputy Grand Master Then There s the Work We know the value of good presentation. We know that we have the tools, both physical and personal, to interpret and illuminate the core precepts of the masonic message. Those who invest themselves in trying to communicate the essence of the charges reap our respect. I have to speak to the Senior Deacon. This is the second time that this has happened. And The Social Time

3 District Light December, 2018 p..3 Regalia At the few public events where masons may wear their regalia, the display of sashes and jewels can stun the other people attending. Only Men? Every mason in a relationship knows that his partner s support is important to make his journey rewarding. How we include the women is for each of us to decide. We know that each article worn is earned by the man for services rendered to the craft, and we accept those badges of distinction as marks of accomplishment. But we may also wonder at the effect that our dress has on the viewers. But in the Lodge... The object, however, of meeting in a lodge, is of a two fold nature, namely moral instruction and social intercourse. A Freemason's Lodge is the temple of peace, harmony and brotherly love; nothing is allowed to enter which has the remotest tendency to disturb the quietude of its pursuits. A calm enquiry into the beauty of wisdom and virtue, and the study of moral geometry, constitute the chief employments in the tyled recesses of the lodge. These words are taken from the General Charge given at the end of the installation and investiture ceremony in lodges in Ontario. The more we share with our families, the more success we will experience. Anything written can be made public and often the partner of a mason is used as an audience for charges that are being rehearsed. Some women are drawn to the concept of masonry and join such groups as the Eastern Star, other co-educational bodies or even women Masonic lodges. Where did it Start? The union of independent lodges in England is sometimes mistaken as the beginning of masonry. Lodges existed long before that and there is a temptation to trace the order into the distant past. Certainly the ideals of our institution are based on higher moral values that have inspired humans for a long time.

4 District Light December, 2018 p.4 Negative Perception Masonry is always an easy target for anyone looking for someplace to place blame for perceived problems. We are an easy target because of our supposed secrecy and because we don t fight back. Whenever something in society seems wrong, the tendenct is to imagine that there is a secret group or cabal that manipulates political and monetary structures for their own benefit and with a master plan in place to create a new world order. We are all puppets on strings, like sheep that can be herded in whatever direction. you don't realize it but the Illuminati control the world. The Illuminati are thought to be a cabal of the most powerful politicians, bankers, entertainers, and businesspeople in the world. They are thought to have had their hand in virtually every event that's happened in human history over the past two hundred years, from the French Revolution to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. And despite their secrecy, they flaunt their power and wealth in public using occult imagery and hand signals. Reality The historical Illuminati movement was founded by Adam Weishaupt on May 1, 1776 in Ingolstadt, Upper Bavaria, as the Order of the Illuminati. The Illuminati group initially came together to espouse Enlightenment ideals and fight superstition. Facets of this included opposition to both the Bavarian monarchy and what they saw as the undue influence of the Catholic Church on philosophy and the sciences. The Illuminati modeled its rituals and vows of secrecy after those practiced in Freemasonry, as many of its members were also high-level Masons. At its height, the Illuminati had about 2,000 members in the various kingdoms that would one day comprise Germany. The movement s professed goal was to attain the highest possible degree of morality and virtue, and to lay the foundation for the reformation of the world by the association of good men to oppose the progress of moral evil. Weishaupt and his comrades also advocated for the abolition of prejudice and the education of women, who they believed should be treated as intellectual equals. In 1777, the new ruler of Bavaria, Karl Theodore, banned all secret societies, including the Illuminati. The group lasted another eight years skirting the law, until finally collapsing under the pressure of multiple government edicts. Weishaupt was banished from Bavaria, and the group members went their separate ways. That ended the Illuminati. But conspiracy theorists could not let go of the idea of a secret overlord society. An essay about the history of the illuminati threat can be found here. The essay ends with the conclusion, To be absolutely clear, there is no compelling evidence that either the Bavarian Illuminati survived past the 1780s or that the current version Illuminati actually exists.

5 District Light December, 2018 p.5 A Toast to Grand Lodge At any formal gathering of masons, a toast to Grand Lodge is often given. We must remember that any toast is actually an expression of praise because of some good qualities that the honouree possesses. So any such speech must first outline some positive features of the recipient followed by having the audience stand and name the person or group, usually while sipping a drink. In Ontario, a mason would express his appreciation for some benefits we receive from our governing body, followed by the brethren toasting with the words, The Grand Master, the Grand Lodge of Canada in the province of Ontario. You Would be Missed A member of a certain Lodge, who previously attended meetings regularly, stopped going. After a few months, the Worshipful Master decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening, and the Worshipful Master found his Brother at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for the Worshipful Master s visit, the Brother welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The Worshipful Master made himself comfortable, but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After several minutes, the Worshipful Master took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth, all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. His host watched all of this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember s flame flickered and diminished, and its fire was no more. It was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Worshipful Maser glanced at his watch and chose this time to leave. He slowly stood up, pickup up the cold, dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately, it began to glow once more, with all the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the Worshipful Master reached the door to leave, his host said, with a tear running down his cheek, Thank you so much for your fiery summons, Worshipful Master. I ll be back in our Lodge next meeting.