Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry

Transcription

1 Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Carl Smith, 33 Personal Representative of the S.G.I G. (360) Charrison Lochaby, 32 Secretary P.O. Box 1112 Everett, WA Valley of Everett Orient of Washington Volume 17 February 2008 Issue 02 The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that energy tends to move from being concentrated to becoming dispersed or scattered. Dynamite explodes, paper burns, objects break, and things wear out. The component elements of the objects, according to the law, naturally tend to release the energy concentrated in them and they flow out and breakdown a dynamic negative or downhill release of energy. Similar recognized and accepted laws relating to human organizations state that they too naturally tend to diffuse and breakdown. Our challenge is to see that this analogy to the Second Law of Thermodynamics does not happen to us. Energy can be a dynamic positive. Besides dissipating, energy can also be concentrated and provide tremendous benefits. We employ this tendency of objects to release their energy in order to concentrate it into higher energyladen substances. The application of various kinds of energy to crude oil, from its drilling to refinement, produces the uphill concentration of energy in gasoline, which is more useful than the substances used to make it. The application of air at 1000 C in a blast furnace with near-pure carbon reacts to form iron from ore. The future of our Valley likewise requires the expenditure of not only human energy, a downhill process, but also suitable energy to focus that energy to produce an uphill result. In other words, a thousand men expending hours of labor and energy pounding crude oil or iron ore with sledge hammers will never produce gasoline or iron. To the contrary, however, utilizing the talent and energy that exists among the Brethren of Everett Valley, we can chart a course that will produce a continued uphill outcome. On Saturday, March 1 st, Grand Homecoming II will be held to chart that course. You are invited to attend and influence the destiny of our Valley. Each of you has expectations from your membership in Scottish Rite. Please come and let us know what they are. Illustrious Brother Chuck McQuery, 33, who will facilitate the sessions, has prepared an article, including an agenda, which can be found elsewhere in this issue of The Rite Bulletin. (Continued on Pg. 2)

2 From the Personal Rep (Cont d) Please assist in our preparations by contacting our Valley Secretary, Brother Charrison Lochaby, 32 KCCH at or him at to confirm your attendance. SWEETHEART DINNER Friday, February 15 th, will be Everett Valley s Annual Sweetheart Night. So Brethren, treat your Lady to an evening of good dining, good entertainment and good fellowship. A time to socialize around the punch bowl will begin at 6:30 p.m. with dinner being served at 7:00 o clock. The charge for the dinner will be $6.00 for the Brethren. The Ladies will be guests of the Valley. The Commander of Kadosh, Brother Terry Grove, 32, promises an enjoyable Valentines celebration. Please give our Secretary, Brother Charrison Lochaby, 32, a call at or him at clochaby@whidbey.com to make reservations if you have not already signed-up so that proper preparations can be made. Carl B. Smith, 33 Personal Representative of the S.G.IG. Charrison Lochaby, 32º Brethren, Anytime a person or an organization enters into a new program there is a learning curve. That point has been driven home to me rather emphatically these last few weeks. I m talking about our method of billing, collecting and processing our annual Scottish Rite dues. When I became the Secretary about the first decision that I made was to utilize the Sentinel Program offered by Supreme for the purpose of maintaining membership records and dues for the members of the Everett Valley. My decision was based upon the premise of not having to duplicate the records maintained by Supreme with records on my personal computer. Last year I also decided to have Supreme mail out our dues statements and follow-up reminder statements. With this decision comes responsibility and I must complete certain dues functions in a timely manner. The dues procedure starts in the middle of August when the initial dues statements are prepared and mailed to the membership for the following year s dues. The members sends me a check along with their dues notice and I must enter the information into the Sentinel computer in a timely fashion. Along about the middle of November the Sentinel staff purges the records and sends a reminder to the members with unpaid dues. And therein lies my problem. This year, I did not get the dues received processed in a timely manner and therefore some members, who had paid their dues, received a reminder in the form of a subsequent bill. Needless to say, I received a number of telephone calls or notes from the members who had paid their dues but still received a reminder. Brethren, quite frankly I goofed up by not processing the dues payments in a timely manner and I extend to you my apology. This is a matter I must and will correct. But interestingly enough there is a note on the reminder in bright red type that says, REMINDER NOTICE. If dues are current, please disregard. Unfortunately most of the brethren who called or sent comments failed to see the note. On February 19, 2008 another reminder notice will be mailed to those members whose records still show a balance due. Rest assured that I will have done my part and all dues payments received will have been 2 posted. However, if you mail the check to me on Feb 15 th it is still possible for your account to show a balance due as your check and the remainder will have crossed in the mail. There isn t anything that I can do about that. You, also, need to mail your checks to me in a timely manner and I thank you for doing so. While I m somewhat on my soapbox, there is another matter that needs the attention of the membership. And that is to keep me advised of your changes in mailing address, address and telephone number. I will venture to say that a high percentage of our membership has a computer and internet access you may go on line at where you will find the home page of the Everett Valley Web site. This web site offers the most up to date information on happenings at our Valley. There is a button for News Flash that contains last minute news on Valley happenings. There is also a calendar of events that will be invaluable to you in keeping up with the Valley schedule of events. And an important item on the Web Site is the ability to update your membership information. When you log on to our Web Site you will notice a column of information on the left side of the screen. The sixth item down is Update your info, This is where you may update your member information such as mailing address, address and telephone number to name a few of the items that you may update From the Almoner's desk If anyone knows of anyone who is ill, or in a nursing home or hospital, please let me know so I can send them a card to them or a visit. May God be with you? God Bless. Jim Raymond 32º KCCH, Almoner goflo2004@verizon.net Telephone:

3 The members of the Valley of Everett Scottish Rite extend to all the Brethren listed below, born in the month of February a very Happy Birthday! John Aldrich John Anderson Wayne Betts Walter Bisson Thomas Booth Edward Broker Edward Carlin Howard Cromer George Dick Donald DuBois Elidio Dulay Kenneth Frank Harold Gibson Tony Gill Mark Goldberg Carl Goodman Eugen Hasson Russell Huff Gregory Iverson Richard Kerr Jerry Kunkle Lance Lindgren Samuel Richard Theodore Rupley Anthony Schwab Imoth Sewell Clyde Sparks Alberto Tcruz Leslie Venables GRAND HOMECOMING II By Charles W McQuery, 33º Once again my Brothers you have a unique opportunity to assist in setting the course of the Everett Valley. On March 1, 2008 we will gather once more to discuss and determine our future for the future. We need your ideas and dreams to make this a fruitful day. Come and join us. You will go away with a renewed commitment to the Scottish Rite and maybe even a little treasure. Sign up today with our Secretary Brother Charrison Lochaby to reserve your place. Grand Homecoming II Agenda 8:30 AM Coffee, Donuts and Fellowship 9:00 AM Celebrate Successes 9:45 AM Dream About The Future Noon Working Lunch 1:00 PM Establish Plans and Implementation Strategies 3:00 PM Dismiss Scottish Rite Scholarship By Jim Raymond, 32º, Director The scholarship program packets are now in place at the colleges. I had a good meeting with the schools with plans to keep in touch with them in the from time to time. If anyone knows of a Junior or Senior presently in college with a 3.0 grade average please let them know about the Scottish Rite Scholarship Program and what Scottish Rite has that can help them with book, etc. Better yet have them call me at the following number , I will set up an interview with them. Valley of Everett Refrigerator card (Please cut out this card and place it on your Refrigerator as a reminder of upcoming Scottish Rite and other meetings, appointments or events) February 2008 Feb 08 Lodge of Perfection 6:30 PM Buffet 21 st Degree Feb 10 Executive Committee Meeting 2:00 PM Feb 15 Council of Kadosh Sweetheart Dinner - 6:30PM Punch Bowl 7:00 PM Dinner Feb 22 - Chapter of Rose Croix 6:30 PM Buffet Feb 29 Consistory 6:30 PM Buffet 25th degree Notes for other Meeting/Events Date Function _ In Memoriam Members of the Scottish Rite, Valley of Everett are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the following Brethren Claude C. Van Meter Eugene C. Hine Henry A. Jenovai These Brothers have been called to the Great Celestial Lodge above by the Supreme Architect of the Universe. They lived respected and died regretted. Farewell My Brothers, Until We Meet Again. 3

4 Book on the Altar Submitted by Steve Osborn, 32º I heard the most curious tale began the New Brother seating himself beside the Old Tiler during refreshment. Shoot! commanded the Old Tiler. Friend of mine belongs to a Midwest lodge. Seems they elected a chap to become a member but when he took the degree he stopped the work to ask for the Koran in place of the Bible on the Altar, Said he wanted the holy book of his faith, and the Bible wasn t it! Yes, go on, prompted the Old Tiler, What did they do? The officers held a pow-wow and the Master finally decided that as the ritual demanded the Holy Bible, Square and Compasses as the furniture for the lodge, the applicant was wrong and that he d have to use the Bible or not take his degree. And the funny part is that the initiate was satisfied and took his degree with the Bible on the Altar. I m glad they have him, and not this lodge. Why? Why, a chap who backs down that way can t have very much courage; I d have had more respect for him if he d insisted and if he couldn t have his way, refused to go on with the degree. All wrong, brother, all wrong! commented the Old Tiler. The Mohammedan initiate wasn t concerned about himself, but about the lodge. He showed a high degree of Masonic principle in asking for his own holy book, and a great consideration for the lodge. This man isn t a Christian. He doesn t believe in Christ. He believes in Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. The Bible, to you a holy book, is no more to him than a Koran is to you. You wouldn t regard an obligation taken on a dictionary or a cookbook or a Koran as binding, in the same degree that you would one taken on the Bible. That s the way this chap felt. He wanted to take his obligation so that it would bind his conscience. The Master would not let him, because he slavishly followed the words instead of the spirit of Masonry. Masonry does not limit an applicant on his choice of a name for a Supreme Being. I can believe in Allah, or Buddha, or Confucius, or Mithra, or Christ, or Siva, or Brahma, or Jehovah, and be a good Mason. If I believe in a Great Architect that is all Masonry demands; my brethren do not care what I name Him. Then you think this chap isn t really obligated? I must write my friend and warn him Softly, softly! Any man with enough reverence for Masonry, in advance of knowledge of it, to want his own holy book on which to take an obligation would feel himself morally obligated to keep his word, whether there was his, another s, or no holy book at all, on the Altar. An oath is not really binding because of the book beneath your hand. It is the spirit with which you assume an obligation, which makes it binding. The book is but a symbol that you make your promise in the presence of the God that you revere. The cement of brotherly love, which we spread, is not material----the working tools of a Master Mason are not used upon stone, but upon human hearts. Your brother did his best to conform to the spirit of our usages in asking for the holy book he had been taught to revere. Failing in that through no fault of his own, doubtless he took his obligation with a sincere belief in its sacredness. Legally he would not be considered to commit perjury if he asked for his own book and was forced to use another. What s the law got to do with it? Just nothing at all, which is the point I make. In England and America, Canada and South America, Australia and part of the Continent, the Bible is universally used. In the Scottish Rite bodies you will find many holy books; but let me ask you this; when our ancient brethren met on hills and in valleys, long before Christ, did they use the New Testament on their Altars? Of course not; there was none. You can say they used the Old Testament and I can say they used the Talmud and someone else can say they used none at all, and all of us are as right as the other. But they used a reverence for sacred things. If you write your friend, you might tell him that the ritual which permits a man to name his God as he pleases, but demands that a book which reveres one particular God be used is faulty. The ritual of Masonry is faulty; it was made by man. But the spirit of Masonry is divine; it comes from men s hearts. If obligation and books and names of the Deity are matters of the spirit, every condition is satisfied. If I were Master and an applicant demanded any one or any six books on which to lay his hand while he pledged himself to us, I d get them if they were to be had, and I d tell my lodge what a reverent Masonic spirit was in the man who asked. Seems to me you believe in a lot of funny things; how many gods do you believe in? There is but one, was the Old Tiler s answer, Call Him what you will. Let me repeat a little bit of verse for you: At the Meuzzin s call for prayer The kneeling faithful thronged the square; Amid a monastery s weeds, An old Franciscan told his beads, While on Pushkara s lofty height A dark priest chanted Brama s might, (Continued on Pg. 6) 4

5 FREEMASONRY & SPIRITUAL STRENGTH Are there ever present possibilities which, if activated in our lives would lead to strength? Can we discern those possibilities, which lead to harmony - the strength and support of all societies, especially of ours? Yes we can. We have the knowledge of how to do it stored in our working tools and symbols. And each of us to a degree has practiced with them and learned from that practice. What prevents us from increasing the quality and quantity of our practice? We all have our priorities in life and some of these can conflict with our quest for virtue. When we reach a point of such conflict, we create as it were a battlefield of the self. One army struggles to continue the climb on the ladder of virtue. The other declares we have a right to things we want such as the glitter of fame and fortune and all the in-betweens. Generally the will of the Mason is strong, but when we are used to willing something that our Masonic experience has taught us does not lead to virtue, then we get torn, to some degree, between the two. Which side will win out depends on how well we have learned from our life's experiences. If we have learned, beyond a doubt, that the virtuous life leads to happiness, and that a life, which is other than virtuous, leads to a degree of pain, then we will succeed in overcoming our non- beneficial habit. If the habit is Too strong, we may have to be in a holding pattern for a while before we can advance in our quest for greater virtue. Yes, we can have the knowledge yet not will to operate on that knowledge. This could happen 100%, or to varying degrees, depending on the strength of our "hard earned" habits. A habit is some pattern of thinking, feeling, or actions, which we have learned to do in the past, which may or may not be beneficial for our present purposes. The idea is not to condemn all habits as bad, but to discern which habits, if any, are now hindering our progress up that ladder of virtue and weed them from our garden. If we are truly serious about achieving the virtuous life, and thus the gaining of strength through personal harmony, then no matter how strong our nonbeneficial habit pattern may be, we can ask the Supreme Being for help in achieving the Masonic victory. (If He can give out new cars, surely He can guide us to whip a habit pattern.) Every one of us trusts in the Supreme Being. Every one of us knows that our prayers are powerful. Everyone one of us knows that we have been given free will to pray for whatever we want. How many of us desire to be a temperate man? How many of us desire to have fortitude? How many of us choose prudence in every thought and act? Who among us truly desires to be a just man? It really is a matter of what we want. How serious are we about what we want? If we want virtue we will study virtue, read about virtuous people and their intense striving to perfect themselves. The more we decidedly want the virtuous life, the more we understand virtue, the more we find ourselves choosing those possibilities which contain the seeds of virtue for our garden of happiness. When we choose virtue then we choose the strength of harmony in our lives. The more we choose virtue the stronger and more harmonious we become, and thus contribute to Lodge harmony. (Yes, Lodge harmony is our personal responsibility.) Virtue is inseparable from happiness. There can be no serious happiness without virtue. When we are not engaged in the business of our serious quest for virtue, we are like a kite without a tail. We cannot stay aloft for long without taking a nosedive onto the hard ground of ignorance or getting tangled in the countless branches of our self-willed trees of confusion. Virtue is stability. The prudent man has an anchor in the Divine. From the Divine he draws greater and greater strength, because his prudence strives on to higher and higher degrees of virtue. Can we choose strength? (You bet we can!) 5

6 Western Washington Degree Schedule 4 Tacoma 3/28/2008 Olympia 2/13/ Bellingham 4/30/2008 Tacoma 3/29/2008 Olympia 2/27/ Seattle 2/2/ Everett 1/25/2008 Bellingham 10/15/2008 Seattle 2/2/2008 Tacoma 4/4/2008 Olympia 3/8/ Everett 2/8/ Everett 2/29/ Everett 3/14/ Seattle 3/1/ Everett 4/18/ Everett 5/16/2008 Seattle 4/5/2008 Tacoma 4/4/2008 Olympia 3/8/ Everett 5/30/2008 Seattle 5/10/2008 Tacoma 4/5/2008 Olympia 3/8/2008 A Masonic Moment By WB Wally Zink An Epitaph There is a majestic hymn whose first verse sings: Our God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be thou our guard while troubles last And our eternal home. However, the verse that pulls at our imagination is the one that chants: Time, like an ever flowing stream Bears all its sons away, They fly, forgotten as a dream Dies at the opening day. The obituary column in any newspaper confirms this affirmation that time does bear all its sons away. Perhaps then it would be well, at the beginning of any New Year, for us to pause for a moments and to sincerely ask ourselves how we would like to be remembered when time bears us away? In the vaults of eternity and the escalade of years I would hope that this might be inscribed on the headstone of our life as we have lived it. I would like the memory of me To be a happy one. I would like to leave an after-glow of smiles When my life is done. I d like to leave an echo COMING ATTRACTIONS Valley of Everett Sweetheart Dinner Friday, February 15, 2008 Whispering softly down the ways, Of happy times and laughing times And bright and sunny days. I d like the tears of those who grieve To dry before the sun, Of happy memories that I leave When my life on earth is done. This article was writing by WB Wally Zink and was been published in his memory. WB Wally was called by the Supreme Architect of the Universe on December 22, 2007 and now sits in the Celestial Lodge above. WB Wally lived respected and died regretted. Farewell My Brother, Until We Meet Again. Book of the Altar (Continued from Page 4) While to the synagogue there came A Jew to praise Jehovah s Name. The One Great God looked down and smiled And counted each His loving child; For Turk and Brahmin, monk and Jew had reached Him through the gods they new. If we reach Him in Masonry, it makes little difference by what sacred name we arrive, finished the Old Tiler, reverently. You ve reached me anyhow, said the new brother, shaking hands as if he meant it. From Old Tiler Talks by Carl H. Claudy, 2nd ed, 1949 At the Everett Masonic Center 6:30 PM Punch Bowl Social 7:00 PM Dinner. Ladies, Guest and Children are invited to attend 6

7 Valley of Everett Calendar of Events Feb 08 - Lodge of Perfection Stated 6:30 PM Buffet - Stated Meeting -21 st Degree Feb 10 - Executive Council 2:00 PM Feb 15 - Council of Kadosh Stated Sweetheart Dinner Punch Bowl Social 6:30 PM 7:00pm Dinner Feb 22 - Chapter of Rose Croix Stated 6:30 PM Buffet Stated Meeting Feb 29 - Consistory B 25 th Degree Mar 01 Grand Home Coming II 9:00AM 3:00PM Mar 09 - Executive Council 2:00 PM Mar 14 - Lodge of Perfection Stated 6:30 PM Buffet - Stated Meeting 26th Degree Mar 28 Ceremony of Remembrance - Punch Bowl Social 6:30 PM 7:00pm Dinner DISTRICT EIGHT MASONIC HAPPENINGS February 2008 Date Day Time Lodge Event 02 Saturday 8:00 AM SLOC Meeting Peninsular #95 05 Tuesday 7:30 PM Sultan-Monroe 160 Stated Meeting 7:30 PM Crystal 122 Stated Meeting 7:30 PM Robert Burns 243 Stated Meeting 06 Wednesday 7:30PM Centennial 25 Stated Meeting 7:30 PM Alpha 212 Stated Meeting 11 Monday 7:30 PM Everett 137 Stated Meeting 12 Tuesday 7:30 PM Damascus 199 Stated Meeting 13 Wednesday 7:30 PM Arlington 129 Stated Meeting 14 Thursday 7:30 PM Peninsular 95 Stated Meeting 19 Tuesday 6:30 PM Sultan-Monroe 160 Stated Meeting 6:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM Crystal 122 Stated Meeting 7:30 PM Robert Burns 243 Stated Meeting 20 Wednesday 6:30PM Centennial 25 Special Communication 25 Monday 7:30 PM Everett 137 Special Communication 26 Tuesday 7:30 PM Damascus 199 Stated Meeting 27 Wednesday 7:30 PM Arlington 129 Stated Meeting 28 Thursday 7:30 PM Peninsular 95 Special Communication DISTRICT NINE MASONIC HAPPENINGS February 2008 Date Day Time Lodge Event 05 Tuesday 7:30 PM Mount Baker 36 Stated Meeting 07 Thursday 7:30 PM Burlington-United 93 Stated Meeting 11 Monday 7:30 PM District 9 LOA 12 Tuesday 7:30 PM Fidalgo 77 Stated Meeting 14 Thursday 7:30 PM Camanio 19 Stated Meeting 18 Monday 7:00 PM Langley 218 Stated Meeting 19 Tuesday 7:30 PM Whidbey 15 Stated Meeting 21 Wednesday 7:30 PM Garfield 41 Stated Meeting - Note: Brethren take the time to visit your local Blue Lodges and share with then the opportunities that are available to them in our valley 7

8 Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Valley of Everett 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 February 2008 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. IN THIS ISSUE - From the Personal Rep - From the Secretary - In Memoriam - Calendar of Events - Grand Homecoming II by Charles McQuery, 33º - Book on the Altar, Submitted by Steve Osborn - February Birthdays - The Masonic Moment, WB Wally Zink Degree Schedule - February Refrigerator Card - Freemason & Spiritual Strength, A Masonic Essay Webmasters Note: Come visit the Everett Valley web site. It is located at: DATES TO REMEMBER February 15, 2008 Sweetheart Dinner 6:30 PM Punch Bowl Social 7:00 PM Dinner March 28, 2008 Ceremony of Remembrance 6:30 PM Punch Bowl Social 7:00 PM Dinner An exchange of ideas and intelligence is called a discussion, but an exchange of ignorance is and argument Uncle Joe, The Chinaberry Tree Philosopher Valley of Everett Contact List Carl Smith, 33º, Personal Representative of the S.G.I G. Telephone: Umpire@wavecable.net Charrison Lochaby, Secretary Telephone: clochaby@whidbey.com Jim Raymond, Almoner Telephone: goflo2004@verizon.net Kenneth Thompson, Editor Telephone: Kenneth.thompson32@verizon.net 8