Newsletter Date May Trestle Board. Staunton Lodge No. 13 AF & AM. Brethren or others sick or in Distress. Pray for their recovery.

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1 Newsletter Date May 2014 Trestle Board Staunton Lodge No. 13 AF & AM IMPORTANT DATES Staunton Lodge #13 Officers 2014 Worshipful Harold Pat Smiley Sr. Warden Thomas Otto Jr. Warden Duane Smith Treasurer Steve Wilt Secretary Bill Campbell Sr. Deacon Joe Murphy Jr. Deacon Meade Stewart Chaplain David Hayes Marshall David Potter Tiler Stuart Brown III Sr. Steward Neal Coiner/Jr. Steward Charles Wilson II May 6, 2014 Staunton Lodge No. 13 Stated Meeting, program presented by Rt. Wor. Joe Murphy May 31, 2014 Lee Lodge Fish Fry, North Park Waynesboro June 19, 2014 Grand Master s Official Visit (Lee Lodge No. 209 at 7:00 pm) July 12, 2014 Staunton Lodge Family Picnic, Montgomery Hall Park July 31-August 2, 2014 Reid James Simmons Academy of Masonic Leadership (Best Western Hotel, Waynesboro) Brethren or others sick or in Distress. Pray for their recovery. Remember all our Masonic widows and orphans 1

2 Brethren, Another exciting evening at Staunton 13 for our April stated meeting. We had 5 sitting masters attend our meeting and this was most pleasant for me and the lodge. Rt. Wor. Jim Fields gave a very interesting program for the evening and it was enjoyed by all. We also raised another Master Mason on March 31 st and read another petition that will be voted on at our May Stated. From the Master Worshipful Pat Smiley We also received the traveling gavel which we took to Lee No. 209 April s stated. It looks like to me Masonry in the 19 th and other districts is getting stronger and stronger each month and this is a good thing for all of us and I hope and pray it continues from now on. I hope we can keep up visiting other lodges and other districts. Brethren of Staunton 13, I thank you for your support. Every Tuesday morning there is practice at the Lodge in all parts of the ritual, starting at 9:00 AM. All brothers are welcome. (except for the month December) Brethren, if you would like to add or see something in your Trestle Board, feel free to contact me, Bro. Thomas H Otto 32, at geteurdone@comcast.net Masonic Information MASONIC BIRTHDAYS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR James W. Collins 05/03/1972 Glen C. Wassum 05/20/1980 Charles F. Shuler 05/05/1952 Frank K. Kirtley Jr 05/23/1973 Robert S. Sheffer 05/06/1965 Scott L. Fielding 05/28/1980 Henry A. Budzinski Jr 05/07/2008 Harold R. Smiley 05/28/1980 Robert W. Shuey 05/07/1993 Clifford D. Harmon 05/30/2000 Russell E. Rutan Jr 05/15/1969 Sidney M. Supple 05/31/1963 Browny W. Robinson 05/20/1976 Applications Read (1) Entered Apprentices (0) Fellow Crafts (0) Master Masons (0) Please make plans to attend practices and degree work, and support these men (and their coaches) as they continue their Masonic journey through their degrees. 2

3 What is the difference between AF and AM vs F and AM STATES? AF and AM stands for Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. / F and AM stands for Free and Accepted Masons. In actuality, it does not matter whether you join an AF & AM lodge or an F & AM lodge in the United States. In the U.S., every regular lodge is under the jurisdiction of its state Grand Lodge. Due to the fact that there is no Grand Lodge Headquarters for each state's separate Grand Lodge, each state's Grand Lodge is, therefore, its own "headquarters" within that state's jurisdiction. All Freemasons, both AF & AM (which means Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, as well as F & AM, which means Free and Accepted Masons, trace their allegorical history back to the building of Solomon's temple in the Holy Scriptures. Freemasonry was exported to the British Colonies in North America in the 1730s with both the "Ancients" (sometimes also referred to as "Antients") and the "Moderns" (as well as the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland) which chartered offspring ("daughter") lodges, and organized various Provincial Grand Lodges. After the American Revolution, independent U.S. Grand Lodges formed within each state. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons versus Free and Accepted Masons From 1751 to 1813, there were actually 2 Grand Lodges in England. The difference in AF and AM vs F and AM states goes back to a disagreement between these 2 Grand Lodges in London at that time. One group was called the "Moderns", but was actually the older of the 2 English Grand Lodges. The other group was called the "Antients", which became the "Ancients" in AF and AM. Due to this disagreement, the 2 groups broke into separate Grand Lodges. The disagreement was later healed around 1880, but by that time, there were lodges and Grand Lodges all over the United States that were descended from one group or the other, and so each group kept their corresponding initials with which they were formed, (which is the reason for which there are small differences within different states' ritual wording and Grand Lodge By- Laws and procedures). Most Grand Lodges in the U.S. recognize each other and treat each other's members as valid Masons. Also, all of the U.S. Grand Lodges recognize (and are recognized by) the official Grand Lodges of England, Ireland, Scotland and the Grand Lodges in most of Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Thailand, India, etc. AF and AM vs F and AM States... vs AFM States... vs FAAM States AF & AM States: These 24 AF & AM states include: CO, CT, DE, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NE, NM, NC, ND, OK, OR, SD, TX, VA, WV, WY. F & A M States: These 25 F & AM states include: AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, HI, IN, KY, LA, MI, MS, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, UT, VT, WA, WI. All Prince Hall lodges are also F. & A.M. AFM State: There is 1 AFM state: SC FAAM District: The District of Columbia is F.A.A.M. Continued on next page 169th Grand Master of Masons in Virginia Wayne Sawyer Flora A Beacon Of Light 3

4 So, what is the difference between Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Free and Accepted Masons and the members of Accepted Free Mason states and Free and Accepted Mason states? The few intrinsic differences between AF and AM vs F and AM states grand lodges, the AFM grand lodge in South Carolina, and the FAAM in Washington, D.C., are minimal. While both AF and AM vs F and AM states exist, along with AFM states and FAAM in the District of Columbia, (with small differences in ritual wording, some officer titles, etc.) in essence, these minimal differences are not as important as the shared brotherhood between all of these groups within the fraternity. The only time that this difference might be important is if you purchase a piece of Masonic jewelry, a Past Master apron, a Masonic shirt, Masonic certificate, or other item which is engraved, embroidered or printed with a specific jurisdictional designation. Some of these items are pre-printed with a specific designation. Therefore, knowing the designation of your particular lodge (AF and AM vs F and AM states, etc.), proves helpful so as not to miss-order an item. Masonic Retention Masonic retention is a word upon the lips of every Grand Lodge, subordinate lodge and its many Freemason members, today, across the world. It may surprise you to know that Masonic retention was on the mind of Albert Mackey, Freemason Researcher and Historian, when he wrote Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry over 130 years ago. Here is what he wrote: Parrot Masons "One who commits to memory the questions and answers of the catechetical (sic: Relating to or consisting of asking questions and receiving answers by rote rather than by understanding) lectures, and the formulas of the ritual but pays no attention to the history and philosophy of the institution; is commonly called a Parrot Mason, because he is supposed to repeat what he has learned without any conception of its true meaning. In former times, such superficial Freemasons were held by many in high repute because of the facility with which they passed through the ceremonies of a reception, and they were generally designated as Bright Masons. But, the progress of Freemasonry as a science now requires something more than a mere knowledge of the lectures to constitute a Masonic scholar."...mackey's Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, Vol. 2, Page 752, Albert Gallatin Mackey, 33, published by The Masonic History Company, Revised ed. copyright 1929, Original copyright Masonic Retention -Memorization without understanding will only take a person to the end of his memorized work...much like memorizing a geometric equation does not prove truly useful unless you understand its components. Example: If I asked you to tell me the equation to measure the area of a circle, the answer quickly coming from your lips may very well be Pi r²... and I would applaud your knowledge. But how useful is that knowledge if you do not know that: Pi = the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle; approximately equal to , or if you round it off. r = Radius of the circle...the measurement from the center-point to its perimeter or boundary. ² (Squared) = the radius times itself. Therefore, your quick answer of Pi r² (the equation with which you may perform the task) was absolutely correct, but if you cannot understand each component of the equation, you cannot "do the math", and therefore your journey ends. Memorization of ritual is important within Freemasonry, however without learning the biblical, symbolic and historical components within Freemasonry's depths, your journey, too, will end without you actually finding Freemasonry's true light. True Masonic retention is obtained when both ritual and Masonic knowledge are balanced with one another. Masonic education is the only means with which the fraternity can both retain its current membership and produce new members to carry on Freemasonry's proud traditions. Taken from The Masonic Lodge of Education website 4

5 Official visit of The Grand Master to the 19th Masonic District Most Worshipful Wayne Sawyer Flora, 169th Grand Master of Masons in Virginia will make his Official Visit to the 19th Masonic District on Thursday, June 19th at Lee Lodge No. 209 in Waynesboro. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm with the Grand Master s reception at 7:00 pm in a tiled Lodge. There will be plenty of food and fellowship as we receive our Grand Master and Grand Lodge Officers. After dinner, while the Brethren are receiving the Grand Master, the wives will enjoy a program by Right Worshipful Joe Fauber s wife, Cathy, on her recent mission trips. The cost for the meal will be $12 per person (widows free) with the following menu: Chicken and Pork Barbeque / Sides and all the fixings / Garden Salad / Desserts / Coffee, tea and water Staunton Lodge No. 13 Blood Drive - April 23, 2014, at Gypsy Hill Park 5

6 Staunton Lodge #13 AF & AM Masonic Pictures 6

7 Staunton Lodge #13 AF & AM Masonic Pictures 7

8 Staunton Lodge No. 13 Masonic District 19 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons 708 D Street Staunton, Virginia (540) Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1 Staunton, Virginia StauntonLodge13@gmail.com Facebook: Staunton Lodge #13 AF&AM Website: May 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Staunton #13 Stated Meeting 7 8 Lee #209 Stated Meeting Highland # Memorial Day 27Augusta #111 Stated Meeting Stated Meeting