Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

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1 Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Carl Smith, 33 Personal Representative of the S.G.I G. (360) Harry Sherman, 32 KCCH Secretary P.O. Box 1112 Everett, WA (425) Valley of Everett Orient of Washington Volume 14 June 2005 Issue 06 On June 3 rd Everett Valley will celebrate its Annual Feast of Bannockburn. On this occasion we will also be recognizing the 16 new members of our Valley who have completed their Degrees and are now Masters of the Royal Secret. Each will receive their 14 th ring and be presented with their 32 nd cap. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the program to follow. Please call our Secretary, Brother Harry Sherman, 32 KCCH, at for reservations. At a time when we are realizing a surge in new members it seems appropriate that we stop for a moment and reflect on why it is so important for Scottish Rite Masons to do what they do. I offer the following message by Sovereign Grand Commander, Francis G. Paul, 33, from the May 1987 issue of the Northern Jurisdiction s The Northern Light. We Know the Difference As Americans, we think of ourselves as moral and ethical human beings. Yet there is a growing sense of cynicism across our land. Corrupt corporate executives; dishonest government officials; and questionable politicians line their pockets with payoffs and shape the truth to fit their self-serving ends. The problems are not all just at the top. Many are willing and eager to work for cash to avoid taxes. Employees steal time from employers without thought of the cost or consequences to the business. Used parts are substituted for new ones Who ll know the difference? Maybe that s the real issue when it comes to morality: Who ll know the difference? The government may not discover the truth. The company may never see what s happening. The family may never find out. But we do. We know the difference. If Freemasonry has any meaning for future generations, and us it is simply that you and I cannot claim ignorance when it comes to what is expected of us. We know the difference between a rough Ashlar and a smooth Ashlar. Morality means much more than how we treat each other. That s important, of course, because society depends upon all of us being able to depend on one another. Yet there s another dimension to ethics. You and I must be able to trust ourselves. That s what it means to be a Mason. We can count on ourselves to think, behave and act in a consistent way all the time, every time. If we do not have confidence in our own actions who will ever be able to trust us? Whenever we talk about ethical issues, someone is certain to say, but nobody s perfect. That s just an excuse. Of course we re not perfect. But that s not the issue. The genius of Freemasonry rests in the picture it paints of greater possibilities. It constantly confronts us with the demand for self-improvement. It tells us to stop making excuses for ourselves and get busy raising our ethical horizons. That s the unceasing message of the Ashlars. This is also Freemasonry s message for our society. The real problem is not a decline in morality. It s a failure to realize that we as human beings, can walk in more noble paths and live by higher and higher standards. Why is Freemasonry important today? It gives us a vision of morality at its best! It forces us to face the fact that we have not yet reached our full potential. Freemasonry is a reminder of what we can become if we work at it. Carl B. Smith, 33 Personal Representative of the S.G.I.G.

2 TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME Yes it's that time of the year again when we start thinking about getting together and heading for the Everett Stadium and a night of baseball. Hernan Divinagracia is once again heading up A NIGHT AT THE AQUA SOXS, which will be on July 29, All members and their guests are invited to join in on the fun. The cost is $18.00 per person, which includes an "All you can eat" picnic before the game, which begins at 6:00 P.M.. There is also set aside seating area for the Everett Valley. So, see or call Hernan Divinagracia 32 º at and make your reservations. See you at the Everett Stadium on July 29th. In Memoriam Members of the Scottish Rite, Valley of Everett Are deeply saddened to learn that The Supreme Architect of the Universe has called the Following Brethren H. Elmore Elliott 32º Roy W. Purchase 32º James H. Ferrall 32º To that Great Celestial Lodge above. They lived respected And died regretted. Farewell My Brother, Until We Meet Again Editors Note: If your received this document by the U.S. Postal Service and would like to receive via , contact WB Ken Thompson by sending me your address so I can put you on my list. My address is knthom@gte.net From the Secretary s Desk Harry Sherman 32º KCCH Well, Brothers we are almost half way through The Degree Masters and their teams have presented their respective degree to a very appreciative class. Those who have become Masters of the Royal Secret are: Michael Capps, Christofer Carney, David Choe, Steven Lively, Boe Lindgren, Steven Wandel, Robert Dinwiddie, Steven Peden, John Geraghty, Terry Grove, Theodore Keithahn, Jason Rivers, John Hart, Leslie Harrington, Andre DeWald, and Gerald Earl. Congratulations go out to all the new Brethren of Everett Valley. They will be honored at the Annual Bannockburn Banquet on June 3, 2005 where they receive their cap and ring. Just a reminder to the Brethren, to check your dues card and if it does not have the year 2005 on it please send in your dues. Your attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated. There will be a special meeting of the all bodies of Everett Valley at 2:00 P.M on Sunday, June12, 2005 for the purpose of balloting on petitions for membership in the Valley of Everett. ROTC/Public School Banquet Jim Raymond, 32º May 20 th was a special night for the Everett Valley with the Public School and JROTC Program. We had a great turn out and an excellent meal prior to the program. I personally would like to sent a hearty congratulation goes out to the five winners of the Scottish Rite Scholarships and to our teacher of the year, Ms. Olga Rodriguez of Mountain Way Elementary School in Granite Falls, WA. This year s program was a great success and I would like to thank all the Brethren who assisted in making this program the success that it was and to Gary Rhodes and his Kitchen Crew for an excellent meal that was enjoyed by all. A special thanks to Leonard Martin for all his help and the ROTC men and women. A lot of time, effort and dedication goes into putting together the JROTC/Public School Program, however, the final outcome is always rewarding.

3 Everett Valley of Scottish Rite Mentoring Program By William A. Isabelle, 32º An effective Mentoring Program was one of the many topics discussed at the last Executive Council meeting. The attending brethren made the need for education, a curriculum of Scottish Rite education, very clearly. Many ideas were proposed, some of the brothers proposed more activities, some proposed a Reading List, and some proposed developing a more definitive Application for our Scottish Rite Valley. A number of brothers suggested developing a standardized curriculum of education, very similar to that of the Alternative Proficiency or New Candidate Education Program. This program has been very successful for Freemasonry in our state, and has contributed to the increase in active membership of Lodges across the state. Essentially all the brothers were talking about the same thing, How can we do a better job of including our new members, and how do we give our new members a better understanding of what the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, is all about?, this question echoes resoundingly. The answer is Mentoring. All of the rest of the details of passing on knowledge, building friendships, developing life-long relationships come out of Mentoring. It really is that simple. The more time you spend with a person you respect, the more like them you become, which works both ways, the passing of wisdom benefits not only the Novice, but the Master as well. We all are Mentors to each other, we each go out of our way to instruct, and be examples of what we are taught. We each have a responsibility to follow through on that realization, to participate in actively mentoring our new members, as well as each other. This can be done brothers, all that is necessary is to attend the Valley, and make a point of seeking out our new members and some not-so-new ones as well. I can tell you that I have not met one man in this Fraternity, who has not made an impression on me. I consider myself blessed to have made so many good friends, as a result of meeting them, one at a time, in Freemasonry. Brothers, I would encourage you all to come to the Valley of Everett Friday June 3 rd for our Feast of Bannockburn, we will be presenting the Class of 2005 with their 14 th Degree Rings and their 32 nd Degree Hats at their Cap & Ring Ceremony, the same night. Come and meet the future of the Everett Valley of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Annual Feast of Bannockburn On Friday, June , the reception for our Spring Class and their Ladies will be preceded by a Banquet at 6:30 p.m. (by reservation only). The Master of Ceremonies for the reception in the Lodge Room will be Bro. Walt Smith, 32. The Bannockburn Banquet, honoring the Spring Class, is to commemorate the Battle of Bannockburn, which was fought on June 24, After the execution of Jacques DeMolay by Phillip the Fair of France, the Knights Templars (of whom it is said the Knights Kadosh of the Scottish Rite are descendants) fled the inquisition in Europe. They found haven with the forces of Robert the Bruce of Scotland joining him in the battle against Edward II of England, who was soundly defeated. This battle established the independence of Scotland and the preservation of the Knights Templars, and is worthy of our acknowledgment of it. After dinner we will toast Robert the Bruce, the members of the Spring Class, and the Ladies present, each being followed by an appropriate response. The program in the Lodge Room will include music, Cap and Ring Ceremony and traditional Scottish Prayer. Reservations for the Bannockburn Banquet are a MUST. Please call the Secretary, Harry Sherman 32 KCCH, at promptly, as seating capacity in the dining room is limited. Lodge of Perfection Venerable Master Ill. Bro. Anthony Schwab, 33 SECRETARY S NOTES Forget the hasty. unkind words; Forget the slander you have heard; Forget the quarrel and the cause; Forget the whole affair, because, Forgetting is the only way. Forget the storm of yesterday Forget the knocker, and the squeal; Forget the bad day of the week; Forget you re not a millionaire; Forget the streaks in your hair; Forget to even get the blues --- But Don t Forget To Pay your Dues! (Erick Scottish Rite News)

4 Knights of St. Andrew, Everett Valley Chapter By William Isabelle, 32º The nomination and election of Officers for the Knights of St. Andrew, Everett Valley Chapter, will take place Friday June 3 rd, after the Cap & Ring Ceremony, being held at the Everett Masonic Center. I want to encourage all of the brothers to participate in the Knights of St. Andrew, membership is open to any 32 nd Degree brother, who is a member in good standing of the Everett Valley. Friday s meeting will decide the Charter Membership of our Chapter. We will be laying out a proposed calendar of events, which include; our Consecration & Installation in September, a trip to Guthrie OK. to attend the Scottish Rite Degrees at the Guthrie Valley of Scottish Rite, who are renowned for their commanding performance, and detailed accuracy. We will also be discussing the 29 th Degree Knight of St. Andrew, Patriarch of the Crusades, which is the degree that is solely the responsibility of the Knights of St. Andrew Chapter. We will also cover the requirements of membership, and the dates of our stated meetings, which will correspond with Scottish Rite stated meeting nights. We will also be reviewing our Constitution & Bylaws for ratification by the membership of KSA, once complete; we will be submitting them to the Sovereign Grand Inspector General for approval. The Knights of St. Andrew are quickly becoming a reality, and my desire is for all of you brethren to come and join with us in this exciting adventure. It is not very often that this kind of opportunity presents itself, the opportunity to create something new in Scottish Rite, and have a great time making it happen. If you have any questions, please come to our meeting Friday June 3 rd, immediately following the Feast of Bannockburn. If for some reason you won t be able to attend June 3 rd, and you would like to discuss the Knights of St. Andrew, please call William A. Isabelle at (206) , and I will be happy to answer what I can. See you there brothers. Wouldn t the world be a wonderful place if people talked about their blessings instead of their troubles? Uncle Joe, The Chinaberry Tree Philosopher The Ragged Old Flag by Brother Red Skelton I walked through a county courthouse square. On a park bench, an old man was sitting there. I said, "Your county courthouse looks kind of rundown." He said, "Nah, it'll do for our little town." I said, "Your old flagpole's leaned a little bit, And that's a ragged old flag you've got hanging on it." He said, "Have a seat," and I sat down. "Is this the first time you've been to our little town?" I said, "I believe it is." He said, "I don't like to brag, But we're kind of proud of that ragged old flag. You see, we've got a little hole in that flag there from when Washington took it across the Delaware. And it got powder burns the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it, writing, "Oh Say Can You See." And it got a bad rip down in New Orleans with Packingham and Jackson tugging at its seams. She almost fell at the Alamo, next to the Texas flag, but she waved on, though. She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville, and she got cut again at Shiloh Hill. There were Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg, and the southwinds blew hard on that ragged old flag. On Flanders Field, in World War I, she got a big hole from a Bertha gun. She turned blood-red in World War II. She's hung limp and low a time or two. (Here is a revision from a later version, as this was originally recorded before the Korean War.) She was in Korea and Viet Nam, and she went where was she was sent by her Uncle Sam. (end revision) She waved from our ships upon the briny foam, but they've about quit waving her back here at home. In her own good land, she's been abused, she's been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused, and the government for which she stands is scandalized throughout the lands. She's looking threadbare and wearing thin, But she's in good shape for the shape she's in. 'Cause she's been through the fire before, and I believe she can take a whole lot more. So we raise her up every morning and bring her down every night. We don't let her touch the ground, and we fold her up right. On second thought, I do like to brag... 'Cause I'm mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag." Flag Day is Tuesday, June 14 th Remember to fly your Flag

5 As Mature Scottish Rite Masons, how are we doing? By Charrison Lochaby, 32º I was raised as a Master Mason on January 11, From the day I was raised till the day I moved to another part of the state, in February of 1956, I attended lodge faithfully, be it a stated or special meeting. Unfortunately the only person that talked to me when at lodge was my father who had been raised barely a year before me. When I had a question, he was the only one I knew to ask and he was not experienced enough to provide me the answers that I was looking for. I was only 23 years old and the older members were held somewhat in awe. I was not made to feel comfortable in talking with them and they certainly did not go out of their way to make me feel welcomed. As a result it was a long time before I began to understand Masonry and its teachings. I affiliated with Langley Lodge on March 1, 1971 and in 1973 I was appointed as Junior Steward. As I progressed through the chairs, on my way to the East, I learned the necessary ritual and along with discussions with more experienced Brethren, the light began to shine and I came to have an understanding of Masonry. Over the years since then, I have remained involved and the light of Masonry has continued to grow brighter. I tell you this because I think of the members that have petitioned and received the degrees of the Scottish Rite in Everett Valley, over the last year or so. I often wonder if we are behaving as my brethren of long ago in my home lodge. Are we visiting with our new members and making them feel welcome? Are we making ourselves available to help them understand the lessons of the Scottish Rite? Are we encouraging them to participate? To do this we need to make friends with them. Once we build a friendship, these new and younger Scottish Rite Masons will start to feel at ease around us and in return they will feel comfortable when asking a question and I believe that they will be more apt to become active Scottish Rite Masons. The members of the Executive Council discussed the above subjects thoroughly at our last meeting and we agreed that we would make a concerted effort toward making our new members feel welcome and wanted. We will strive to build friendships thereby making our new members feel secure and comfortable. At dinner before our meetings, we will invite new members to sit with us and include them in our conversations thereby getting to know them and likewise they will get to know us. In short, the members of Everett Valley are delighted in our new members and we owe them something besides the various degrees. We owe them our hand of friendship!! Masonic Education Bring Masonry to Lodge Dewey H. Wollstein, PGM, 32º KCCH We must ever remember that Masonry is men who are Masons. The good of an institution must always result from the acts and deeds of the members of such an organization. The Masonic Institution is the achievement of Masons. Many times the question is asked: What degree are they going to work tonight? Perhaps the brother who asks the question is interested in witnessing one particular degree and prefers not to attend unless the degree is being conferred. Still, there is a mighty impersonal ring to the work they. Many other times the question is: What are they going to do tonight? We cannot leave ourselves out of the lodge. Whether or not we attend regularly, we are forever a part of the lodge, we are it successes and it s failures. We contribute, or we fail to contribute to its welfare. The degree that is to be conferred, the business meeting to be held, or the program that is to be presented are all important, but they are secondary to the question: What will I bring to lodge tonight? The sprit of brotherly love, the warm and friendly handshake, the smile that reflect the Mystic Tie all that I am capable of bring to lodge are important factors. Rays of Masonry, 1953

6 Free and Accepted Masons Scottish Rite Bodies P. O. Box 1112 Everett, WA Non- Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 372 Everett, WA June 2005 What is Scottish Rite? Although there is no higher degree than that of Master Mason, the 29 degrees of the Scottish Rite serve to enrich the philosophy of the Symbolic Lodge. A Mason who chooses to further his Masonic experience by becoming a 32 Scottish Rite Mason will be expanding upon the fundamental principles of Freemasonry. The moral and ethical lessons will allow him to be constantly reminded of his duty to God, family, country, and fellow man Valley of Everett - Orient of Washington Calendar of Coming Events June 03 - Lodge of Perfection Stated - 6:30 P.M. Dinner Feast of Bannockburn Award and Ring Ceremony Degree Ladies and guest are invited to attend. June Grand Lodge Communication in Wenatchee, WA June 12 - Called Special Meeting 2:00 PM followed by the Executive Council Meeting July 08 - Executive Council Meeting 7:30 PM July 15 - Family Night Barbecue and Fun - Family and guest s are invited July 22 - Executive Council Meeting 7:30 PM July 29 AquaSox out to the Ball Park August 06 Degree at the Masonic Park August 12 - Executive Council Meeting 7:30 PM August 26 - Executive Council Meeting 7:30 PM Masonic Trivia - John Hancock was a member of St. Andrew's Lodge, Boston, MA. He was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence. He wrote in a bold flourishing style. When asked why his signature was so large, he replied: "So that George III may read it without putting on his spectacles." (Reprinted from Cinosam)

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Carl Smith, 33 Personal Representative of the S.G.I G. (360) 387-4357 Harry Sherman, 32 KCCH Secretary P.O. Box 1112 Everett, WA 98206 (425) 776-1578 Valley