Hiram s Words. ON PAGE 8 Reflections. ON PAGE 13 The rebuilding of a Chapter. ON PAGE 4 Grand High Priest s Message

Transcription

1 The Offical Publication of the Grand Chapter of Illinois Volume XV,I Issue 4 Hiram s Words ram-il.org ON PAGE 4 Grand High Priest s Message ON PAGE 8 Reflections ON PAGE 13 The rebuilding of a Chapter

2 GRAND OFFICERS Most Excellent Grand High Priest Sean P. McBride Right Excellent Deputy Grand High Priest James M. Tome Right Excellent Grand King Jerald H. Starks Right Excellent Grand Scribe Byford Bo Cook Right Excellent Grand Treasurer Alan M. Hubble Right Excellent Grand Secretary Dale L. Corrice Excellent Grand Chaplain Vincent Riti Excellent Grand Captain of the Host Randy Vawter Excellent Grand Royal Arch Captain Patrick J. Robin Excellent Grand Principal Sojourner Timothy J. Vice Excellent Grand Master of the Third Veil William Wojtas Excellent Grand Master of the Second Veil Charles R. Robertson Excellent Grand Master of the First Veil D. Scott Dayton Excellent Grand Steward Edward Ed Steffy Excellent Grand Steward Travis L. Stewart Excellent Grand Organist John B. Jack Hall Mission Statement: It shall be the goal of the Grand Chapter of Illinois, working through its subordinate chapters, to consistently and responsively enhance those lessons taught in the Symbolic Lodge; by developing and promoting programs: That build character in our membership That foster growth in prospects for fellowship That provide opportunities for increasing leadership skills That allow our lodges and chapters to make a difference in our communities Our Vision: Excellent Grand Webmaster Timothy J. Tim Ward It is our vision to be the concordant body of choice for the brethren of the Symbolic Lodge by fulfilling our mission better than any person or fraternal organization. Contact: Hiram s Words is a publication of the Grand Chapter of Illinois. If you have any questions about one of our publications, please contact us at grandwebmaster@ram-il.org 2

3 In this issue On The Cover 4 Grand High Priest s Message by Sean P. McBride, MEGHP 5 How Good and How Pleasant It Is by Sean P. McBride, MEGHP 6 A Brief Introduction of the current Grand High King by Jerry Starks, REGHK 8 Reflections by Randy Vawter, EGCoH 9 Let s Go to Lodge Tonight 10 Bucket of Love by Nyle Waters, Asst. Sec. Dewitt Chapter # Royal Arch Masons Charitable Foundation by Patrick J. Robin EGRAC Chairman RAMCF Fundraising Committee Bement Chapter Day, see page 13 for details 13 The Rebuilding of a Chapterr by Sean P. McBride, MEGHP 15 Everett McKinley Dirksen Masonic Record by John B. Jack Hall, EGO July York Rite Grand Session August 20 - Old Chicago Degree Work The thoughts and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual unless stated otherwise and do not necessarily reflect those of the Grand Chapter of Illinois 3

4 Grand High Priest s Message by Sean P. McBride, MEGHP As the Capitular Year draws to a close, I wish to thank each of you for your continued support of Royal Arch Freemasonry in Illinois and of our Grand Chapter. Illinois Royal Arch Freemasonry is in a constant state of rebuild and in order for us to be successful it requires each of us working together. This past year we have seen many Chapters begin doing Degree work that had not done so in many years. These Chapters have realized a renewed interest from existing Companions, as well as engaging new members to be active in the Chapter. We have also seen a renewed emphasis on providing activities that will make attending Chapter a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience for our members. Educational programs and discussions, Table Chapters and social activities out of the Chapter are becoming a more common theme, which will hopefully continue to become not just a novelty, but a regular part of the culture of Royal Arch Masonry in Illinois. The 2016 Illinois Grand York Rite Sessions are now only days away. The Annual Convocation of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of Illinois will be held on Thursday July 14 at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel & Convention Center. We hope that you are able to attend and enjoy in the fellowship with Companions from across the State. Your next MEGHP, Companion James M. Tome has arranged several break-out sessions during the afternoon that are designed to provide a value added experience for the attendees. Please come out and support Companion Tome and the core of officers as they lead our Grand Chapter into the future. I would like to thank Companion Larry D. Raglan, Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of the State of Illinois and Sir Knight, Enrique Unanue, Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of the State of Illinois for the renewed cooperation our Grand York Rite Bodies have enjoyed this past year. We have enjoyed many positive endeavors together and it has been an outstanding and rewarding experience. Thank you all my Companions, safe travels! 4

5 How Good and How Pleasant It Is by Sean P. McBride, MEGHP Over the course of the past year, your Grand Chapter has enjoyed several occasions to come together with Brethren from various Masonic groups, as well as Grand Chapters of other Jurisdictions for new membership opportunities. These have included Interstate Chapter Days with the Grand Chapters of Missouri in St. Louis and with the Grand Chapter of Indiana in La Porte, Indiana this past October, as well as York Rite Days with our own Grand Council and Grand Comamndery in DeKalb, Champaign and Belleville over the course of this past fall and early winter. Over the course of the first half of 2016, our Grand Chapter has participated in several other inter-fraternal events and Degrees opportunities including: The Grand Royal Arch/Scottish Rite Quarry Day on April 16: This year marked the third consecutive year the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Illinois conferred degrees at Sand Valley, an active rock quarry just outside of Danville, Illinois. This has become one of the most highly anticipated events on the Illinois Royal Arch calendar and was again enjoyed by all who attended. This year, we had the pleasure of being joined by our Brethren from the Scottish Rite as the Valley of Danville presented the Scottish Rite version of the 7th Degree, followed by the 13th Degree in the afternoon hours. The Chapter/Council/Shrine Day on April 30: This highly enjoyable event was hosted by our friends, the Nobles of the Medinah Shriners of Addison, Illinois. Several Chapters and Councils from northern Illinois participated in this historic event and welcomed nearly 20 new candidates into York Rite Masonry. Those present then enjoyed a delicious lunch provided by Potentate Craig Stimpert and the Nobles of the Medinah Shriners, who then presented a Ceremonial for new candidates. 5

6 7th Annual Illinois-Wisconsin Chapter Day on May 14: For the 7th consecutive year, the Grand Chapters from the Jurisdictions of Illinois and Wisconsin came together for this event hosted The Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Illinois and the Companions of Freeport Chapter #23 at the Freeport Masonic Temple. Candidates for Chapters from each Jurisdiction enjoyed the experience of being Exalted to the August Degree of the Holy Royal Arch while enjoying a mixture of the work from each State. These events, as well as others have provided an opportunity for Companions and new candidates alike to enjoy a broader range of fellowship and participate in something out of the ordinary. How Good and How Pleasant It Is For the Brethren to Dwell Together In Unity!. A Brief Introduction of the current Grand High King by Jerry Starks, REGHK Greetings Companions! Since I am a Grand Chapter officer, I was asked if I could submit an article for Hiram s Words so that I can talk to the Royal Arch Masons of Illinois. Because this is my first submission, I am a little nervous in providing an article that will probably be read by hundreds of Companions. However, I need to start submitting my articles sooner rather than later. So, here goes Basically, this article is for the Companions that do not know me. I hope that you get to know me in the near future. In the meantime, I would like to provide some simple details about me. I always prefer to be on the level in communicating with other Companions/Brethren. What does that mean you ask? I prefer to use common language when talking than trying to impress people with flowery language. Same thing applies to my writing. I try not to impress people in my writing, so I limit the use of a Thesaurus in my word processor. For example, somebody actually used the word edification in an . I prefer to use the word information. One less syllable and you wouldn t have to look it up. 6

7 I also do not like to dress up with regalia. I now have to since I am a Grand Chapter officer, but for Blue Lodge events, I prefer to wear a white apron than one with Grand Lecturer on it. The same applies for other bodies such as Scottish Rite. The purpose is to provide an approachable, rather than intimidating, appearance for Candidates and newer members. In addition, even though I have had numerous honors bestowed upon me, my favorite title is the first one I received in my Masonic career; a Worthy and Exemplary Mason. I only try to impress one person in Masonry and that person is the candidate. The candidate needs to be impressed so that he will continue pursuing his Masonic journey as well as introducing some of his friends/associate into our beloved Fraternity. That is why I put in a lot of time and effort in learning and presenting Degrees and other Masonic work (e.g., opening, closing, receiving dignitaries, etc.). So you might ask what type of Companion might impress me. That s pretty easy. I have provided only a sample of the qualifications below: 1. Companions who regularly attend meetings and Degrees. 2. Companions who participate in Degrees and are very proficient in their parts. 3. Companions who help mentor new Companions in their Chapters. 4. Companions who take time out of their lives to help their Chapters in their activities. I know there are others, but we must save them for another time (as well as other material for future articles). Sincerely and Fraternally, Jerald H. (Jerry) Starks 7

8 Reflections by Randy Vawter, EGCoH It is that time of year when Chapters make preparations and plans for the new Capitular year. They are also making plans to attend July s Grand Sessions at the Marriott Convention Center in Normal, Il. These are indeed busy days. But, reflecting on the past years accomplishments is required for Chapters to determine where they need to improve and identify successes. There are a lot of successes our Chapters can be proud of. Several state wide schools of instruction were hosted this past year. Those Chapters include DeWitt Chapter, Euclid Chapter, Sullivan Chapter, Paxton Chapter, Belleville Chapter, Eureka Chapter, Freeport Chapter, and Champaign Chapter. There was also a special school of instruction in Normal Illinois for our Grand Chapter officers. Yes, they too need to sharpen degree work skills. (Some may say we need it more than our Chapters do.) These schools are vital for continued learning of our gorgeous standard work. I would encourage all of our District Deputy Grand High Priests to hold at least one school of instruction in your district. If you have not attended one of these schools you should plan to attend one this coming capitular year and listen to Bob Wright who is one of our Board of Examiners explain why we do what we do in degree work. Listen to Jerry Starks bring our degree work to life. These two reasons alone make it worth while to attend. Our Grand Chapter officers have also seen successes in Chapters where one year ago some chapters struggled immensely. Congratulations to Bement Chapter, DeWitt Chapter, LaHapre Chapter, and Wilmette Chapter for recognizing weaknesses and taking action to save Royal Arch Masonry in your respective communities. I could not be prouder of these chapters. They made some major changes in how they operate and they are making a difference. Good Job! Congratulations to Pekin Chapter for all they did! I am singling this chapter out because I am impressed with their leadership abilities. Many of you may not be aware of this but last years EHP was also the Worship Master of his lodge, the Thrice Illustrious Master of his Council, and the Commander of his Commandery. Sound like a recipe for disaster? Not so for Companion Jeff Knight. Jeff lead Pekin chapter to two fund raising events for our Royal Arch Mason Charitable Foundation which included its 2nd annual dart tournament and a clay pigeon shoot. Pekin also planned a very nice rededication of its chapter and held a Royal Arch Table Chapter. They also competed in all of the programs offered by the Grand Royal Arch Chapter. Companion Knight has set the standard high for future EHP s of all Chapters. When asking Jeff how he did all of this in one year he credits his officers and members for all the help they gave to make his year as EHP successful. Jeff further explains that his goal was to be sure members were 8

9 having fun and he involved them in all phases of planning. They must have had fun because members came back and assisted in conferring all four degrees this past capitular year. Did I mention Jeff also manages a farm in Missouri? Several Chapters hosted Chapter Days in their lodges. They include Champaign, Freeport, Belleville, Andrew D. Webb, DeKalb, Cary-Grove and Wheaton Chapters. I am sure there are many more I have not listed. (My apologies) Many of you attended our several joint Chapter Days with surrounding states or our annual Quarry day near Danville, Il. All of these events proved successful. No one knows for sure yet the total number of exaltations for this year but there are rumors of making over 150 new Royal Arch Masons throughout the state. These are a few of the things our Chapters have accomplished this year. It s time to celebrate our successes. Thank you Companions for making this year a banner year! This success does not belong to the Grand Chapter or its officers. It belongs to the members of all of our Chapters! Good Job! Let s Go to Lodge Tonight My brother, let s go to Lodge tonight; You haven t been for years. Let s don our Lambskin Apron white And sit among our peers. I d like to get out on the floor-- Come on, let s get in line; I want to face the East once more And give the same old sign. I feel a kind of longing, see, to climb those creaky stairs; I know it ll be a thrill for me to lay aside my cares. I want to hear the gavel rap the Craftsmen to attention and see the Master don his cap; a night without dissention. We ll meet the Tyler at the door and though he ll hesitate, we ll hear him say just as before, Come in or you ll be late. So come! Pass up that picture show, or your wrestling bout or fight; Switch off that TV set! Let s go! Let s go to Lodge tonight. (author unknown) 9

10 Bucket of Love by Nyle Waters, Asst. Sec. Dewitt Chapter #119 Dewitt Chapter #119, Royal Arch Masons, in Petersburg conducted its first Bucket of Love for Autism fundraiser in the Menard County area on the second weekend in June. This fund raiser was the brainchild of our EHP, Richard Sinclair. In short, labeled buckets were placed in Menard County retail businesses on Thursday. Most of the businesses displayed the buckets near the cash register or check-out counter. Two companions prepared the buckets and contact businesses delivering the buckets in a half day. A week before the campaign weekend, an Ad and news article were placed in the county weekly newspaper announcing the fundraiser, raising awareness about autism, and letting the community know that Royal Arch Masons were alive and working in the community. On Tuesday it took two companions a half day to pick up the Buckets and count the contributions. Since many of our Companions have reached the age of non-participation and, as a precursor to the Bucket of Love for Autism campaign, a letter was sent to each Chapter member announcing the upcoming event, expressing the need for contributions to support victims of Autism and their families, and inviting them to participate in this effort by sending a donation. A few Companions responded with contributions. This effort, together with the Bucket of Love for Autism campaign, enabled Dewitt Chapter #119 to raise more than $400 for the Royal Arch Masons Charitable Foundation. A final total will be announced at the Annual Conclave in July. During the planning stage of this Bucket of Love fundraiser, many ideas were expressed that could enhance the success of the effort. One suggestion was to do a mailing campaign to local business, institutions, churches and local organizations requesting This June 14th photo shows EHP Richard Sinclair picking up a Bucket of Love for Autism at the Corner Café in Petersburg, IL, with Whitney LaVigne and Luleta Rushitr. 10

11 their financial participation in the effort. Another idea was for Companions to put on their red coats and solicit contributions at street intersections, and/or visit local businesses. Additionally, a Chapter might like to combine its fundraising efforts with a community festival. Dewitt Chapter #119 was encouraged by the cooperation and enthusiasm of area retail businesses in this effort. Likewise, we were greatly encouraged by the pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, dollar bills and five dollar bills, each an expression of love, that we found in the Buckets of Love for Autism. Royal Arch Masons Charitable Foundation by Patrick J. Robin EGRAC Chairman RAMCF Fundraising Committee If you have not done so already please visit our Facebook page at While you are there make sure to like it and share it with you friends! We are doing are part to raise awareness but we could use your help in spreading the word! You can also find out more information about Autism, Marcfirst, and the RAMCF at our website This year all the proceeds that we raise will be given to Marcfirst once again. If you are not familiar with Marcfirst I invite you to please check them out at I believe they speak for themselves much better than I ever could. It would be great if we could give them even more money this year. In order to do that we will need your help! How can you help you ask? This year we have made it easier than ever to donate to the RAMCF. Rather than mailing out a Red Letter to all this year we have created a GoFundMe page. This will allow you to donate via your checking account, debit or credit card from the comfort of your own home. Even better is that you can share the link with all your friends and family to give them a chance to help out as well. To donate to the RAMCF simply go to Please share this as often as possible with as many people as you can! Remember that donations to the RAMCF are tax deductible! Have you ever wanted to be a member of the Society of Zerubbabel? What is that you ask? How can I join? What do they do? How can I identify the members of the Society? All of those questions and more will be answered at Grand Sessions! The Society will be accepting membership beginning at Grand Sessions. Memberships start at $ and the first 100 Companions to join will be forever remembered as Charter Members! Will you be one of them? 11

12 If you have not mailed in your raffle tickets your time is running out. If they will not make it via mail by July 13th please do not mail them! Simply bring them with you or give them to someone to bring to Grand Sessions. We will have a table setup where you can drop them off as well as buy more. We don t want anyone s tickets to be left out! Our two raffles are up and running in full force. The first is our Life Membership Raffle. The lucky winner of that raffle will win a Life Membership in the Masonic Body of their choosing with a value of up to $1, second places winners will win a year s dues in the Masonic Body of their choice with a value up to $ There are only 1,000 tickets being sold for this raffle. They are available through your Chapter Secretary, your District Deputy Grand High Priest, or any of the Grand Chapter Officers. With over 60,000 Masons in the state these tickets should sell out fast! As of today we have only sold 50 out of the 1000 tickets. So your chances are very good at being a winner. If you have not yet bought a ticket reach out to your Chapter Secretary, your District Deputy Grand High Priest, or any of the Grand Chapter Officers today! Tickets will also be available at Grand Sessions up until the drawing on Friday night. The second is our statewide 50/50. This is the third and last year we are doing this raffle! For every $1, raised we will be giving away $ Last year we gave away over $3, This raffle is open to anyone and everyone. The winners will be drawn at this year s Grand Session and you do not need to be present to win. As of right now we are already up to 7 pots! Every Companion was sent 5 tickets. If you need more you can get them from your Chapter Secretary, District Deputy Grand High Priest, or any Grand Chapter Officer! The more we sell the more we can give away to YOU and the more we can donate to Marcfirst! Plans are already starting to take shape for next year s fundraising efforts!! The 50/50 Raffle is going away, the Life Membership Raffle will still take place but it will be handled differently. We will be concentrating more on the GoFundMe account to solicit donations to cut down on printing and postage costs. We will also be more events driven next year. Our goal is to raise awareness, funds, and fellowship! If you have any ideas of events that you would like to see in your area please let us know. We are looking forward to travelling the state and getting to meet more of our Companions and getting more of our Chapters involved with the Charity and with their Community! If people don t know why we are raising funds they won t want to fund us! If your Chapter will be holding an event where 100% of the proceeds will be going to the RAMCF we will be more than happy with helping you promote it and put it together. If you have any questions I can be reached via phone at or via at Patrick@randrcorp.com. I look forward to hearing from all of you! And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Sincerely, Patrick J. Robin EGRAC Chairman RAMCF Fundraising Committee 12

13 The Rebuilding of a Chapterr by Sean P. McBride, MEGHP On the evening of December 8, 2014, I paid an unofficial visit as Deputy Grand High Priest to small Chapter located in a rural central Illinois community called Bement. I had visited this Chapter once a few years prior and knew at that time the Chapter faced challenges, but I was quite surprised to discover how much the Chapter was struggling just to exist. The Chapter was barely able to get enough Companions to open for a Stated Convocation and the majority of the time, were not able to actually open due to lack of a quorum. While the members of the Chapter that attended took pride in the Chapter and in Royal Arch Masonry in Bement, there just were not enough Companions attending to make the Chapter sustainable into the future. We had a very serious discussion on the chilly December evening in 2014 and the Companions had to ask themselves, How do we continue, and more importantly can we?. By the end of the evening, it became clear that the Companions were willing to try and make an effort to rebuild the Chapter. It was agreed that the existing membership of the Chapter would be contacted and encouraged to participate in the Chapter, that efforts would be made to become proficient in the opening and closing ceremonies and most importantly, that Royal Arch Masonry would be promoted to the members of the local Lodge. Several months later, I returned to Bement to make a presentation on Royal Arch Masonry during a Stated Meeting of the local Lodge and found a group of interested young men, whom had their interest sparked by the members of the Chapter, who are also active members of the Lodge. During the next Chapter meeting I attended, it was clear that progress was being made as petitions were being received and discussion of the scheduling of Chapter Day had begun. During that same meeting, another interesting conversation began. The Chapter had recently turned 160 years old why not have a Rededication Ceremony??? Thus plans began and on the afternoon February 21, 2016 the Grand Chapter Officers performed the Rededication Ceremony in front of an audience of Chapter members, family members and prospective members of the Chapter. The Chapter welcomed several 50 year members who received 50-year certificates provided by the Grand Chapter and 13

14 who shared their memories of Royal Arch Masonry in Bement over the decades. It became clear on that chilly Sunday afternoon in February that we had began to lay the foundation of rebuilding the Chapter. Finally on June 18th, all four of the Capitular Degrees were conferred in Bement Chapter for the first time on over 20 years. Several Companions from all areas of the State converged on Bement to help the Chapter welcome 8 new members, plus other candidates from visiting Chapters. Thanks to the efforts of the Companions who refused to lie down and allow their Chapter to fade away into the annals of time, Bement Chapter #65 is poised to continue the tradition of Royal Arch Masonry that has existed in this small community for generations to come! They have done their part in the Rebuilding of the Temple of Illinois Royal Arch Freemasonry. Well done, Companions, well done! 14

15 Everett McKinley Dirksen Masonic Record by John B. Jack Hall, EGO Everett McKinley Dirksen, born in Pekin, Illinois in 1896, was of Ostfriesen ancestry. His father was born at Jennelt and his mother was born at Loquard, both small villages in the Krummhorn area of Ostfriesland. Ostfriesland is an area in northern Germany. It is bordered on the west and north by the North Sea. The area is known for its many Villages with ancient churches and windmills. The churches, many nearly 1,000 years old, are known for their old organs. (I have visited this area of Germany many times over the last 40 plus years, initially for my wife and I to visit her Mother, who had lived many years in Berlin. She moved to the area in 1970 to be near a sister. During this time, I also visited many of the lodges in the area.) I visited the lodge in Emden in October, 2013, when they were planning their 250th anniversary celebration in November, Dirksen attended the law school of University of Minnesota. He left the University of Minnesota in 1917 to serve in the U.S. Army during World War I ( ). After his discharge in 1919, he returned to Pekin and entered business. Mr. Dirksen, residing at 335 Buena Vista Ave. Pekin, IL 61554, petitioned Pekin Lodge No. 29 February 28, 1929, and was rejected March 28, I have heard that the Brother who rejected him thought he should have provided free bread to the poor from his Bakery business. Dirksen was the proprietor of a Wholesale Bakery in Pekin, according to his petition. He again petitioned Pekin Lodge January 22, 1931, and was accepted. He was Initiated March 3, 1931, Passed July 9, 1931 and Raised July 23, The lodge record also shows that he died September 7, 1969 and that Bro. Dirksen was never late in payment of his dues, which had risen to $10.00 by Bro. Dirksen was also a member of the Valley of Peoria, AASR. He received the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection November 17, 1931, Council January 11, 1932, Chapter November 16, 1932 and Consistory November 17, He was honored with the 33rd degree in My father, Ben H. Hall, PGHP, had a petition for Pekin Chapter No. 25 from Bro. Dirksen, but Dirksen never spent enough time in Pekin to receive the Royal Arch degrees. 15

16 Bro. Dirksen was an American political leader, who served eight terms in the United States House of Representatives. He became the Republican minority leader in the United States Senate in His talent for compromise helped pass much of the legislation that otherwise probably would have been defeated in the Senate. He was a skilled legislator and powerful speaker, and was one of the most influential senators of the 1960 s. He worked closely with every President from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Richard M. Nixon, and was one of America s most well-known public figures, known for his tousled hair, theatrical manner and deep voice. References: I compiled a history of Pekin Lodge No 29, AF&AM, for the 150th anniversary of the lodge, and discovered the Dirksen lodge record at that time. Some information was from old Pekin records from the Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society Library; the political references were from several news sources. Pekin Lodge No. 29 later merged with Empire Lodge No. 126, Pekin, Illinois. Cover from the program for the 250th Anniversary of the Lodge in Emden, November,

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18 Grand chapter Ladies luncheon Christmas in July Thursday, July 14, :00 Noon Bloomington Normal Hotel & Conference Center Join us for a Luncheon of Chicken Caesar Salad and Chef s Selec on Seasonal Sou Cost of the meal is $30.00 per person. Program provided by the ladies of T s Cookie Jar Reservations can be made online at ues ons about reser a ons should be directed to William Wojtas at ordbillw@gmail.com or

19 Application for Perpetual Life Membership in the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International Please print or type Name Address City State ZIP Phone I am a member in good and regular standing of Lodge No., located in the city of, in the Grand Jurisdiction of and a member in good standing of Royal Arch Chapter No. located in the city of in the Grand Jurisdiction of. The sum of US$25.00 submitted this day of, 20. I understand that, should I forfeit my membership in my lodge or chapter for any reason, that the fees for Perpetual Life Membership are not returnable. Signed Mail to: General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons Intl PO Box 128 Greenfield IN