Free and Accepted Masons Dover, N. H. January 2018 Organized Under Dispensation December 20, 1889 Chartered May 21, 1890

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1 MOSES PAUL LODGE #96 DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE Free and Accepted Masons Dover, N. H. January 2018 Organized Under Dispensation December 20, 1889 Chartered May 21, 1890

2 January Calendar Event: Stated Communication Date and Time: Thursday January 18 th Lodge opens at 7:30 pm Dress Code: Officers jacket and tie, all others Business casual Cost: Donation for collation Description: Monthly Business meeting Who can attend: EAs and above Event: Installation of Officers Date and Time: Saturday January 20 th 2:00 pm-4:00 pm Dress Code: Tux and gloves, all others Business casual Cost: Donation Basket Description: Installation of the 2018 suite of Officers, refreshments to follow in the dining hall. Who can attend: Semi Public event, all family members and friends invited District 5 Calendar Event: Strafford Lodge Stated Communication Date and Time: Wednesday January 10 th Lodge opens at 7:00 pm Dress Code All jacket and tie Cost: Donation for collation Description: Monthly Business meeting Who can attend: EAs and above Event: Winnipesaukee Special Communication Date and Time: Thursday January 11 th Dinner at 6:15, Lodge opens at 7:00 pm Dress Code: All jacket and tie Cost: Usually less than $10.00 Description: EA Degree Who can attend: EAs and above Event: Ritual Workshop Date and Time: Thursday February 1 st Lodge opens at 6:30 pm Dress Code: all Business casual Cost: Donation for collation Description: Ritual Workshop, put on by the Grand Lodge Lecturer, and hosted by Strafford Lodge #29 and Moses Paul Lodge #96 Who can attend: All Master Masons welcomed.

3 Moses Paul Lodge #96, Dover, NH Officers & Appointments for 2018 Worshipful Master: John T. Pond, Jr Senior Warden: Wor. David Akridge Junior Warden: Richard Lapointe Treasurer: Sanford Salava Deputy Treasurer: Secretary: Daniel Hanson Deputy Secretary: Representative to Grand Lodge: Christopher Pond Chaplain Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney Asst. Chaplain Senior Deacon: James E. Lewis Junior Deacon: John T Pond, III Senior Steward: Junior Steward: Tyler: Wor. James S. Miller Organist: Lodge Ambassador: Historian: Wor. David Akridge Finance Committee: Trustees of Charity Fund Wor. James S. Miller 2018 Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney 2018, & 2019 Richard LaPointe 2018, 2019, 2020 Widow s Program Chairman: Vincent R. Puleo Gates: #1-, Richard Lapointe #2-, #3-Wor. Donald Meserve Representative to Evergreen Place: Relocation Committee: Chairman: Wor. David Akridge Recorder: John T. Pond, Jr Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney Robert Steele Sanford Salava Webmaster James E. Lewis Public Affairs Officer Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney

4 MASTER S MESSAGE Brethren, a new year is upon us. At our December Stated Meeting, which was also our Annual Meeting, we had our election of Officers. While all chairs, whether they be elected or appointed, are important and vital to our Lodge, we will have a new Master on January 20 th. I hope that each of you will join us for this transition in our Lodge on January 20 2:00pm. I will have the privilege of continued communication with each of you in the coming year as your Senior Warden, a chair that I have never occupied. I look forward to serving our new Master, John Pond, Jr. For those of you who wondered, our new Junior Warden will be Dick LaPointe. Looking forward to Brother LaPointe sitting in the South. Brother Sandy Salava will continue to serve as Treasurer and Brother Dan Hansen has stepped up to be our Secretary. I would be remiss in not thanking each and every one of you for the support and guidance that you have granted me for the last two years. It has been a rewarding yet humbling experience and I thank you for the privilege to have served. I also ask you to assist me in monitoring a friendly wager that I have made with Worshipful DeRosa of Strafford Lodge regarding being a Past Master. If any of you ever hear me say When I was Master and launch into story, call me on it. I will owe Worshipful DeRosa $ While perhaps I may have some value in an

5 advisory capacity, I endeavor to do it as your Senior Warden or as just a member of Moses Paul Lodge #96. I also thank each of the line Officers for their support and participation. I look forward to the next Chapter in our history. A MASONIC POEM A Master Mason's Wife Author Unknown From active Masons, resolute, Our wives and fam'lies we salute We surely know the price you pay, Who sit alone while we're away No high degrees on you conferred, In Lodge, your name is seldom heard You serve our cause though out of sight, While sitting home alone tonight Masonic papers list our names, Awards are given, fit to frame But yours is absent...you who strive, To keep our fortitude alive You're part of every helpful deed, On your encouragement we feed Without your blessings, how could we, Continue acts of charity? And so, this poem, we dedicate, To every Master Mason's mate And offer our undying love, Rewards await in Heaven above.

6 A Word from the West. Brother John T. Pond, Jr. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years, and were able to enjoy quality time with your families and loved ones. Let me start by saying thank you, for electing me Master for I am truly honored to accept this position, and will work hard live up to your expectations. As you know we have sold our building on Pearl Street and have moved in with our Brothers at Strafford Lodge, this was mainly due to the decrease in membership and the high taxes and maintenance costs of keeping the building. My goal for this year as Master is to improve participation of our current members and to grow our membership in numbers. The goal is to grow the Lodge by 10 percent this year which will put us back over the 100 member mark. Our Lodge has lost a lot of good brothers due to financial and health reasons as well as demits, and being called from labor to rest. Better than a third of our members live outside the Dover area making it impossible for them to attend meetings on a regular basis. This results in a very small core group to make all the hard decisions for the Lodge. At most regular Stated meetings we have only enough members to open Lodge and conduct business, and no members on sidelines. As we move forward I sincerely hope that each you will consider returning to the sidelines and support and help our officers as we move Moses Paul Lodge forward. I invite each you and your family to join us at the Installation on January 20 th at 2:00 pm, and renew your many friendships. We will welcome you with open arms. I would also like to point out that the Lodge building is handicap assessable Hope to see you soon. Fraternally John T. Pond, Jr. Master (elect)

7 The Trowel ORDER OF DeMOLAY It is going to be a very interesting meeting, said the Young Mason, sitting down in the ante-room beside the Old Past Master. I am glad you look forward with pleasure to it, came the ready answer, but what special feature intrigues you tonight? Why, Brother Smith is going to ask for an appropriation from the lodge to help the Scottish Rite start a chapter of DeMolay. And there are a lot of the brethren who are going to object. You know, Sir, there are many of us who think that Masonry doesn t need any juvenile branches. And there are others who say the lodge should not give to a boy s organization, because many of the members have no boys but do have girls. So I expect there will be a warm discussion. I am glad you told me, said the Old Past Master. It isn t often I get on my feet in the lodge anymore; I believe in letting the line officers run the lodge and in keeping old Past Masters where they belong on the side line. But now and then I get the urge to get up and talk, and this is one of those times. I am glad you are going to object to the appropriation, said the Young Mason. That s the way I feel about it. I am not going to object, answered the Old Past Master, sharply. I am going to urge the appropriation with all the force I have. I am going to puncture the feeble arguments of those who refer to DeMolay as Juvenile Masonry and I am going to annihilate that brother who says he doesn t want lodge money spent for such Orders because he has daughters instead of sons. Why... why, you surprise me, cried the Young Mason. Has it been drawn to your attention the DeMolay degrees are highly

8 elaborate, spectacular and beautiful? Don't you think that a young man who sees such work will, when he becomes a Mason, be disappointed? My young friend, answered the Old Past Master, most of us live in small houses, in small towns, not bigger houses in big cities. Most of us do not live beneath the thunder of Niagara, or in site of the Grand Canyon, or in the shadow of Pike s Peak. Few of us live in or near Yellowstone, or the Yosemite, or Crater Lake. The larger part of the population of this country does not live in sight of the mighty ocean. Do you think it makes us dissatisfied with our lives and our homes that we go sight-seeing among the beauties of this wonderful land of ours? I have seen the DeMolay degrees. They are much better put on by the boys, than our Masonic degrees are put on by the men. Is that the fault of the boys, their Order, their degrees, or is it our fault? Their degrees are beautiful and solemn; but that they even touch the skirts of the inner beauty of the Masonic degree, no real student of Masonry would admit for a moment. It may, indeed, be true that some young man, having taken the DeMolay degrees, will be disappointed when he gets his Third Degree in Masonry, that it is not more wrapped up in costumes, trappings, stage work. But such a young man would be disappointed in any event. I believe that most boys, when they grow up to be men, will turn from the elaborate and spectacular degrees of the DeMolay Order to the more quiet, thoughtful and deeper degrees of Masonry with relief, and will throw themselves in them with greater enthusiasm, because of their training in lodge room etiquette, their experience of fraternalism, their education in ritual and brotherhood. There are Masons in this lodge who will, I know, object to our spending money from the lodge treasury. They will say why, I have no son to enter such an order, why should I help support it? But they may have daughters. Then they are interested in having the young men in this town grow up to be good men, true men, square men. For some one of these young men, is some day, probably to be a husband to that Mason's daughter. And the better man he is, the happier she will be. Did you ever stop to think, my brother, what it is in Masonry which has kept it alive and made it grow, for thousands of years? What other thing can you name which has lived and grown for

9 thousands of years? Only one, love and worship of God. Then I am speaking true words when I say it is the God in Masonry which has held it together. The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man as taught in Masonry, are the inner cements which we spread with our trowels of degrees and lodges and ritual. The Order for the boys is but a new way of making ready the stones for our building. Before there was such an Order, we took young men as we found them. We still so take them. But in addition, we have now an Order which, while it speaks no word which can be construed as an invitation, which say nothing to any boy which would make him think Masonry wanted anything of him, yet teaches him patriotism, love of country, love of public schools, love of Masonry, because of its unity, its charity, its brotherhood, and teaches him too, the lessons of help to a brother, of broadminded tolerance and of sincere worship of a Supreme Being. No boy who has been a DeMolay will ever join a Masonic lodge without being better prepared to become a good Mason than the same boy would have been had he not been a DeMolay. There, my brother, now you know how I feel about it, and why I am going to urge that our lodge stand not in the way obstructing, but along side and pushing, that our young men have this glorious chance to learn the elements of fraternity before they come to us to be made Master Masons. And I am going to stand at your side and urge the same course, said the Young Brother. I didn't understand.

10 Secretary s Desk Thank you to all who have paid their dues on time! There are still 10 that have not paid to date! Please make every effort to pay these quickly as the Lodge depends on this money to be able maintain our building and pay the bills. If you can t afford your dues or have other issues preventing you from paying them please contact me or any officer, we may be able to work out a solution. To all members, the bills for 2018 Dues will be coming out shortly, our Dues and Assessment is $ per member for this year. When was the last time you came to a meeting? We as your officers know that your time is valuable and should not be wasted! The meetings are fun and informative. Can t remember the signs or you don t feel you know anyone, don t worry, we are all brothers and will greet you with open arms. This month s education article is The Apron and don t miss the Trowel Article Order of Demolay Please visit our website for upcoming events. The District 5 Calendar at: %40gmail.com NH Grand Lodge Web site at: Webmaster: dovermasons@nhfreemasons.org Facebook: NOT RECEIVING THE TRESTLE BOARD BY ??? If you would like to get it as soon as it comes out and save the Lodge a stamp send your address to bears123@comcast.net

11 MATTHEW HOATH Lodge of the Quest No. 587 Victoria, Australia The Apron Distinguishing Badge of a Mason Why do we wear an apron, and what is its significance? Our Order is founded on Operative Masonry, and operative Masons in common with most other artisans, wear aprons for the protection of their clothing. Different trades used different types of aprons, each suitable for the purpose. Originally the Entered Apprentice wore an apron with a bib secured with a tape around his neck. The bib was to protect the upper part of his clothing when clasping a heavy stone, such as a pillar, with both arms. Later, as he became proficient in his trade, he became an artisan and his job was then to smooth and prepare the stone for its place in the building. He then had no use for the upper portion of the apron, so he let it hang down over the lower part--thus we have our own badge with a triangular piece overlapping the square portion. There are several explanations of this triangular portion of the apron all or any of which may be correct, but the following seems the most logical of them. The significance of the apron is "servitude." Certain dignitaries of the Anglican Church wears an apron as part of their clerical dress. Thus a person signifies the service that is expected of a Freemason to his neighbor. When investing the Entered Apprentice with the badge he is informed that it is more ancient than the Golden Fleece and more honorable than the Star and Garter. The main object of my talk is to tell you something of these orders. First, the wording of the investiture was compiled in about 1717 (in the Grand Lodge of England or its Lodges) and was revised in The Golden Fleece: According to Greek legend, King Pelias of Thessaly had ousted his brother Aeson and to rid himself of Aeson's son, Jason he persuaded the lad to fetch the Golden Fleece which hung on an oak tree at Ares in Colchis. It was guarded by a dragon. The adventures of Jason and his fifty companions, who sailed with him make one of the finest stories of Greek literature. (The fleece came from the mythical ram on which Phrixus and Helle escaped from death and was hung in the Grove at Ares by Phrixus, who alone survived the flight from his native land.)

12 The Order of the Golden Fleece was founded by Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, in January, 1429, on occasion of his marriage to Isabella, daughter of King John I, of Portugal. The order was instituted for the protection of the Catholic Church. The fleece was chosen as the emblem because wool was the predominate product of the lower European countries in which the order flourished. The number of knights of the order was twenty-four. In 1433 the number was raised to thirty-three, all gentlemen by birth. In 1477, on the marriage of Mary of Burgundy with Duke Maximilian, the grand mastership of the order passed to the House of Hapsburg. The last chapter of the original Order was held by Philip II of Spain in the cathedral of Ghent. Up to that time the knights had filled the vacancies by their own votes, but Philip II obtained permission of Pope Gregory XIII to nominate the knights himself. After the Spanish Netherlands were ceded to Austria in , the Austrians claimed the office. The resulting dispute split the order into two parts one in Austria and one in Spain. The jewel of the order (which differs slightly in the two countries) is a golden ram hanging from a ring which is passed around its middle. This is suspended from a scroll in very elaborate design with the motto, (in Latin) The reward of labor is not trifling. The jewel, in turn, is attached to a golden collar made up of links. Each link is in the form of a capital "B" with rays issuing from it. The collar is usually worn with full dress. On ordinary occasions a broad red ribbon collar is worn in its place. Since its inception this order has been considered as the most important and highest of all civil orders on the European continent. The order has no standing in England, hence we hear little of it. No British subject is permitted to accept this, or any other foreign order, without special permission from the sovereign. At the time of the dispute over the order between Austria and Spain in 1714, speculative Masonry was gaining a firm footing and its ritual was then revised and prominence given to the Golden Fleece. The Roman Eagle: The Roman Eagle also has an interesting history. The eagle was highly esteemed among the Romans. It was usually depicted with outstretched wings, sometimes of gold and silver, but most frequently of bronze. It was carried at the head of a staff in the same manner as a banner. The eagle borne upon a spear appears to have been used first by the Persians. The Romans took the idea from them, and used it as an emblem of honor, to be carried before the chief ruler. In 1804, Napoleon had metal eagles carried before his army. Austria and Russia both had double

13 eagles as a symbol of their empires. The symbol of the United States of America is the bald eagle. In 1701, Frederick I of Prussia founded the Order of the Black Eagle. The number of knights was limited to thirty, exclusive of the princes of royal blood. The revisers of our rituals probably selected the reference to the Roman Eagle as it was the highest emblem of dignity, honor and power of that famous empire. Order of the Garter: The Order of the Garter is, of course, something we know more about, being a British Order. It is the highest order of knighthood in Great Britain, and is considered the most honorable and exclusive in the world. Its full title is "The Most Noble Order of the Garter." According to tradition, King Edward III, who was dancing with the Countess of Salisbury at a ball held on January 18, 1343, picked up a blue garter that had dropped from her leg and tied it around his own. Observing the queen's uneasy glances, and the consternation of the countess, he returned it to its owner with the remark, Evil be to him who evil thinks. At this time the king had been successful in the French campaign and was contemplating a second expedition. He resolved to institute an order of knighthood in honor of his success, as well as a means of rewarding his army favorites. He placed the order under the protection of St. George. For 179 years it remained practically as instituted by Edward III but in 1522, Henry VIII revised the statutes. The color of the emblem was blue, which at that time was the French national color. The motto translated, Let him be dishonored who thinks ill of it, was appropriate whether applied to the French expedition or to the order itself. Formerly, the knights were elected by the members, but since the reign of George III all appointments have been made by the reigning sovereign. Originally it was called the Order of Saint George. It now consists of the sovereign, who is the grand master, the Prince of Wales and twenty-five knights companions. In addition it is open to all English prices (lineal descendants of George I ) and foreign sovereigns as may be chosen by the king or queen. On occasions, other companions are admitted for special reasons so that the whole order usually numbers about fifty. The insignia consists of the garter, the collar, and the great George; the star, the ribbon and badge, or lesser George. The garter is of blue velvet ribbon--the particular tint being known as "garter blue." The ribbon is edged with gold and fastened by a gold buckle on the left leg below the knee. It bears the motto of the order in letters of gold, or sometimes in diamonds.

14 When the sovereign is a woman, it is worn on the left arm above the elbow. The collar consists of twenty-five pieces alternately gold love knots and buckled garters enameled in blue, enclosing roses. From the center link of the collar hangs the badge of the great George. It is a figure of St. George as a knight in gold enamel and set with jewels. He is depicted on horseback, overthrowing the dragon with a spear. A star was added by Charles I in It consists of eight silver rays encrusted with diamonds, issuing from a buckled garter bearing the motto and enclosing a white field of enamel with the red cross of St. George upon it. When the collar and great George are not worn, the "lesser George" as it is called, is used. It is similar to the great George but much smaller and hangs from a broad blue ribbon which passes slantwise over the left shoulder. The robes of the order are of equal magnificence. The order became prominent in the 17th century after Charles I added the star to the insignia. On ordinary occasions the star is worn on the breast and the garter below the knee. Full regalia is only worn when grand chapter meets, or at a ceremony such as a coronation. The order meets at Windsor Castle. So, Brethren, we have our badge of white for purity--of lamb's skin for innocence; more ancient than the Golden Fleece, which was founded in 1429, and the Roman Eagle, which was instituted in 1701; and more honorable than the Garter, which is the highest order of knighthood in the world. I repeat the charge given by the Senior Warden when investing the badge Never disgrace that badge, for it will never disgrace you. Virginia Masonic Herald--May-June, 1964

15 JANUARY BIRTHDAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHERS Richard E. Clark Clarence G. Kyreages John T. Pond, Jr. Christopher J. Pond James W. Varney

16 Masonic Humor A picture is worth a 1000 words!

17 Moses Paul Lodge #96 Living Past Masters Gerald E. Brown Robert D. Sylvester , 67 Ronald C. Bartlett Donald S. Meserve Raymond E. Allen William H. Carswell, II 1976, 77, 78 David R. Spiller..1984, 85 Edwin F. Mitchell, Jr Anthony Zizos. 1989, 90 James S. Miller , 98, 01, 02, 03, 04 John F. Torr.1993, 94, 99, 00 Stephen E Wawrzkiewicz Robert H. Stewart Jay A. Edgerly 1997 William C. Hill, HPM.2003 Michael J. Mawson George M. McGee III Christopher Piehler 2007, 2008 Robert D. Berry Bruce G. Staples, HPM Kristopher G. Furtney 2010, 2011 Vincent R. Puleo , 2013 Robert J. Corsetti , 2015 William D. Akridge..2016, 2017

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