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 15 July 2006 Issue 07 Carl B. Smith, 33, Per Rep of the S.G.I.G. I have to say that I am not surprised at this response. At this point I wish I could clone the Valley of Everett elsewhere around the state. This is the comment made by our Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Illustrious William R. Miller, 33, following our Secretary s first report to him on the status of the five assignments given out at the recent Leadership Conference. Brethren, your accomplishments are not going unnoticed. Congratulations! (Read the Secretary s article for more information on the Conference.) While the Valley may be on its summer break that doesn t mean nothing is happening. Yes, our schedule of stated meetings, degree work and festivals are taking a rest for a couple of months but in their place will be a couple fun activities. On Friday, July 14 th, will be our third annual Family Tail-gate Party. It will be held in the parking lot of the Everett Masonic Center starting at 6:00 p.m. Another great evening of fellowship is being planned so bring your family and friends. A movie with a Masonic flavor will be shown during the evening. (Maybe The Da Vinci Code.) The Everett Aqua Sox baseball game on Friday, July 28 th is another event that you won t want to miss. A block of seats has been reserved for Everett Valley. This is another activity where family and friends are invited to join in on the fun. The cost is $18.00 per adult and $13.00 per child age 10 and under. This includes an All you can eat barbecue before the game beginning at 6:00 p.m. So come and join us for an evening of fellowship, excitement and great food. Tickets will be available at the Family Tail-gate Party or you can call Brother Hernan Divinagracia, 32, at for reservations. While we have ended our regular meetings for the summer, the Executive Council will continue to meet. During the months of July and August the Council will meet twice monthly. The dates for each meeting are listed in the Valley of Everett Calendar of Events section of each Bulletin. Each meeting will be preceded with a light buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. The objective of the meetings will be to develop plans for next season that will make it an even better one than last season. All members of the Valley are invited to attend and participate in the Executive Council meetings. Best wishes to you and your family for an enjoyable summer. Carl B. Smith, 33 Personal Representative of the S.G.I.G.

2 Bro. Charrison Lochaby, 32º SECRETARY S NOTE Dues I m pleased to report that all conflicts regarding dues have now been resolved and all dues cards, proper to be mailed, have been mailed. So, Brethren, look at your dues card and if does not say 2006, that means your 2006 dues have not been paid. Please send in your check so that you will be current. At the moment I show 28 members that have not paid their 2005 dues and 109 members who still owe their 2006 dues. Are you one of them? Western Leadership Conference I had the pleasure of attending the Western Leadership Conference in San Francisco along with: Bro. Hernan Divinagracia, 32, Almoner; Bro. Bryan Bechler, 32, Treasurer; and RW Chuck McQuery, 32 KCCH on Friday and Saturday, May 19 th and 20 th. I gained a whole new respect for Ill. Ron Seale, 33 our Sovereign Grand Commander. He opened and closed the Conference with a very relaxed presentation that made me feel that he and I were sitting in rocking chairs on the front stoop visiting while sharing a pitcher of iced tea. (If you don t know what a stoop is, that is Southern talk for a porch. And iced tea is a Southern beverage of choice in the summer.) The general theme of the Conference was Charting the Rite Course, from the Scottish Rite Strategic Plan. The delegates were divided into five groups and each group then circulated among five presentations with each being about an hour to an hour and a half in length. All presentations left us with a homework assignment to be completed in the coming months. I m proud to say the Everett Valley is ahead of the curve as we have already recognized the need for and are currently engaged in complying with three of the assignments. These assignments are: 1. Develop and implement a Mentoring Plan for new candidates. This program is underway in Everett Valley and is to be completed within one year. 2. Host a movie night to coincide with the release of The Da Vinci Code. This is to be accomplished by July 1 st or the night of the screening in our area. 3. Host a Valley Rite Care night with a program on Scottish Rite Philanthropies. This is to be accomplished within 120 days of the Conference. 4. Complete a Valley organizational chart with job descriptions for each leadership position within the Valley. Job descriptions within the Valley are already in place and an organizational chart has been drafted. To be completed within six months. 5. Develop and distribute financial statements at each meeting and develop a working operational budget for the Valley with financial statements completed within 90 days and budget within six months. Everett Valley has an operational budget in place and the financial statement reporting will be available by the time we resume our meetings in September. To make sure that these objectives are followed up on, I must report monthly (first report has been submitted) to the S.G.I.G. on our progress in completing the assignments. Masonic Motorcycle Club A request has been made to our Grand Master, requesting permission to form a Chapter of the Masonic Motorcycle Club International for the State of Washington. If you are interested in becoming a member of this elite group, please send a copy of your current dues card to VWB Steve Guffy, 811 N. Chelan Ave, Wenatchee, WA Once we get approval from the Grand Master, the application will be submitted to the Masonic Motorcycle Club International. Old Cowboys Advice: * live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. Editors Note: If your received this document by the U.S. Postal Service and would like to receive via , contact WB Ken Thompson and send me your address so I can put you on my address list. My address is knthom@verizon.net

3 The History of the Double Headed Eagle Author Unknown "The Double Headed Eagle of Lagash" is the oldest Royal Crest in the World... No emblematic device of today can boast of such antiquity. Its origin has been traced to the ancient city of Lagash. It was in use a thousand years before the Exodus from Egypt and more than two thousand years before the building of "King Solomon's Temple." "As time rolled on, it passed from the Sumerians to the men of Akkad, from the men of Akkad to the Hittites, from the denizens of Asia Minor to the Seljukian Sultans from whom it was brought by the Crusaders to the Emperors of the East and West, whose successors were the Hapsburgs and the Romanoffs." "In recent excavations, the cityemblem of Lagash was disclosed also as a lion headed eagle sinking his claws into the bodies of two lions standing back to back. This is evidently a variant of the other eagle symbol". "The city of Lagash is in Sumer in Southern Babylonia, between the Euphrates and the Tigris and near the modern Shatra in Iraq, Lagash had a calendar of twelve lunar months, a system of weights and measures, a banking and accounting system and was a center of art, literature, military and political power, five thousand years before Christ". "In 102 BC the Roman Consul Marius decreed that the Eagle be displayed as a symbol of Imperial Rome. Later, as a world power, Rome used the Double-Headed Eagle, one head facing the East the other facing the West, symbolizing the universality and unity of the Empire. The Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire continued its use and the symbol was adopted later in Germany during the halcyon days of conquest and imperial power". So far as is known, a Masonic Body in Paris first used the Double-Headed Eagle in Freemasonry in the Emperors of the East and West. During a brief period the Masonic Emperors of the East and West controlled the advanced degrees then in use and became a precursor of the "Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite". The Latin caption under the Double-Headed Eagle - "Spes Mea in Deo Est" translated is "My Hope Is In God". 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 28, 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. Please contact Hernan Divinagracia, 32 º at and make your reservations A MASONIC MOMENT WB Wally Zink Hello my Brethren, Let these words be the foundation and format for our Masonic Moment for today. Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, and a touch. It is anything that will lift the spirit of another person. To give meaning and substance to this statement, click on the link below. rit.com/breath.html

4 Valley of Everett Calendar of Events July 7th Executive Council Meeting 6:30 PM Dinner 7:00 Meeting July 14 th - Valley of Everett Annual Family Tail-Gate Party 6:00 PM July 21 st - Executive Council Meeting 6:30 PM Dinner 7:00 Meeting July 28 th - Valley of Everett Aqua Sox Take me out to the Ball Game Night 6:00 PM Aug 8 th - Knight of Saint Andrews Stated meeting Aug 11 th - Executive Council Meeting 6:30 PM Dinner 7:00 Meeting Aug 27 th - Executive Council Meeting 2:00 PM Meeting Sep 8 th - Lodge of Perfection Stated Meeting 4 th Annual Friends Night 6:30 Punch Bowl Social - 7:00 PM Dinner Sep 10 th - Executive Council Meeting 2:00 PM Meeting Sep 15 th Consistory Stated Meeting 6:30 PM Buffet 4 th Degree Sep 22 nd Chapter of Rose Croix 6:30 PM Buffet - 5 th and 6 th Degrees Sep 29 th Council of Kadosh - 6:30 PM Buffet - 9 th and 10th Degrees DISTRICT EIGHT MASONIC HAPPENINGS July 2006 Date Day Time Lodge Event 05 Wednesday 7:30 PM Alpha Lodge 212 Stated Meeting 08 Saturday 7-10:00 AM Damascus 199 Pancake Breakfast 13 Thursday 7:30 PM Peninsular 95 Stated Meeting Hot Dogs and Beer Night 15 Saturday 10:00AM All Everett Lodges Four Lodge Picnic 18 Tuesday 7:30 PM Sultan-Monroe 160 Stated Meting Casual Dress DISTRICT NINE MASONIC HAPPENINGS July 2006 Date Day Time Lodge Event 01 Saturday Whidbey 15 Aqua Sox Baseball Game 03 Tuesday 6:30 PM Langley 218 6:30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM Stated Meetin, Casual Dress MWB Jim Vannice Program 08 Saturday Whidbey 15 Motorcycle Run 11 Tuesday 7:30 PM Mount Baker 36 Stated Meeting Casual Dress 16 Sunday District 9 BBQ Rib Cook Off, City Beach Oak Harbor 18 Tuesday 6:30 PM Whidbey 15 Dinner 6:30, Stated 7:30 Military History Night 20 Thursday 7:30 PM Garfield 41 Stated 7:30, Casual Dress Whidbey 15 Campout at the Masonic Park, Granite Falls, WA 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

5 Freemasonry in Context History * Ritual * Controversy A brief review by Stephen M. Osborn, 32, K.S.A., S.R.R.S. FREEMASONRY is a subject, which has been written about and researched for several hundred years. Some of the research has been scholarly with tremendous amounts of minutiae dredged up and printed out in lists and articles. Some has been more casual, especially amongst the anti-masonic groups, who rarely check their facts unless they are unfavorable to their own thesis, in which case they are usually ignored or dismissed. Ars Quartuor Coronatorum, the annual transactions of Quatuor Coronati Lodge 2076, the premier Research Lodge in England which was founded in 1886, contains a tremendous number of excellently researched and prepared articles on Masonic subjects, and on subjects that touch upon Freemasonry. The Lodge inspired scores of other Research Lodges around the world. One such is our own Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research 281, which has read and published papers in its Transactions for many years. There is a wealth of local information on Lodge history as well as articles of general interest. In 1991, the Scottish Rite Research Society was formed to promote the study of Masonry in general and the Scottish Rite in particular. The Transactions of the Society are published each year in a succeeding volume of Heredom. The Society has attracted many fine writers to contribute and has published addresses given at many meetings of Grand Lodges. Freemasonry in Context consists of a selection from the first ten years of Heredom, edited by Ill Bros. Arturo de Hoyos and S. Brent Morris. The forward discusses the history of Masonic writing, with the dichotomy between the antiquarians and the professional historians. The book itself is divided into three sections. History of Freemasonry; Discussions of Ritual; Controversy and anti- Masonic writings. The articles are not in published order as they appeared in volumes of Heredom, but carry on a discussion of the subject in a logical and consistent manner. The first article is Scottish Definitions and Transitions, by Lisa Kahler and discusses the origins of Masonry, its transition from operative to speculative, the Foundation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the development toward the modern system of Lodges. The second article discusses the question of the French origins of the early High or Écossais Degrees. The third is on the origins of the Prince Hall Scottish Rite Degrees. All in all, there are seven articles including a discussion of German Freemasonry during the rise of the Third Reich. The ritual portion of the book is another seven articles that deal with and discusses a number of degrees. One article is on Chinese Thought and Freemasonry in the Eighteenth Century: The Degree of Irish Master, Provost and Judge. Another is on the Mystery of the Royal Arch Word. The Controversy portion is partly cloak and dagger, such as the smuggling of Masonic Books into Mexico in the face of the Inquisition, Anti- Masonic Abuse of Scottish Rite Literature, Anti-Masonic conspiracy theories and an examination of the Jack the Ripper murders. All in all, Freemasonry in Context is a recommended read for all Masons. Masonic Trivia Masonic learning usually passes through three stages. In the beginning you learn the right answers. In the second stage you learn the right questions. In the third and final stage you learn which questions are worth asking.

6 Masonic Education FREEMASONRY & SERVICE My brothers, of the many definitions of service found in the dictionary, the following seemed closest to our conception of service. 1. The serving of God, as through good works, prayer, etc. 2. Work done for a master or superior. 3. Helpful, beneficial, or friendly action or conduct; act giving assistance or advantage to another 4. Work done or duty performed for another or others. How can a Mason be of service to the Craft? The answer does not seem difficult at all. We can be of service through Lodge maintenance, committee work, coaching, donations, the line of chairs, and much more. Many of us intuitively feel that it is all service to the Craft, whether the Lodge hands you a broom or a Gavel. Perhaps then there is not much more to say of our service except that the degree of our sacrifice of personal time and effort in service to the Craft is directly proportional to the degree of our love for the Craft. Yet there must be more to this Masonic concept of service to the Craft. Perhaps this particular question does not bring forth the essence of the true Masonic meaning of service to the Craft. Perhaps it should sound more like this - How can I maximize my service to the Craft? Now this is an obviously different question. The answer to the first question may not apply to our new question. The first question implies that a serious Mason will do for the Craft whatever the Mason's talents best suit him for. If he is good at memory work he may gravitate to some need within the Craft which requires a good memory. If he is a handyman, he may become involved in Lodge maintenance. These ways of service would answer our first question - How can a Mason be of service to the Craft? However, the answer to our new question - How can I maximize my service to the Craft, involves the willing and accurate use of all the tools of the Craft which were presented to us in our degree work. Precisely, this question implies the maximization of our abilities. In other words, it requires the personal working knowledge of the twenty four inch gage, the Compass, the level, the Plumb, the square, the trowel, and especially the common Gavel, as we make our rough Ashler into a smooth Ashler and use it according to the designs laid out upon the trestleboard. We are speaking now of the Masonic transformation, that precious refinement of character, that extended process by which we gradually chip away our rough edges and gradually increase to a maximum the quality of our character. During this process we find ourselves gradually more willing and capable of serving in capacities which we were not suited for before we began to learn and apply the tools of Masonry upon ourselves. We may find new abilities developing in interpersonal relationships and thus find ourselves now more suited to serve as a Coach. We may find that we have over come a fear of speaking in public and thus find ourselves now suited to present degree lectures at Lodge initiations. We may find new abilities in organization and thus be suited for organizing degree practices, editorial duties, secretary's duties, or the line of chairs leading to the East of our Lodge. Many, if not most, of us have experienced changes in our abilities in proportion to our personal application of the tools of our Craft. The sincere speculative Mason knows that he must work on himself in order to be of ever increasing service to our Craft, and thus to Humanity. This Masonic transformation of character, this making a good man into a better man, is a gradual process never to be rushed or taken to an extreme. (prudence: or moderation in all things). From the sweating slow pace of the Entered Apprentice laying out and removing the rough Ashler from the Quarry, to the increasingly discerning pace of the Fellowcraft using the common Gavel to smooth the Ashler, we find the various stages of personal growth in Masonry. Finally, one day we find ourselves in harmony with the calm pace of the true Master Mason sincerely praying to God for guidance before drawing his designs upon the trestleboard. This true Master Mason never sets down the tools of his Craft. He is ever sharpening his discernment thereby continuously divesting his character of all the imperfections, which keep the rough Ashler unsmooth, and the character unrefined This true Master Mason has adopted the Master's Motto, "Burden me more.", because he knows how to use challenges to further refine his character, thus allowing him to be of ever greater service to the Craft. He knows how to practice joyful labor because he has learned the value of harmony in his life, and how it truly sets the stage for wisdom, strength and beauty to function through him. He has learned that brotherly love

7 Masonic Education Freemasonry & Service (Cont d) cannot exist without sincere mutual respect. "But", some of us may be thinking, "this is the ideal Master Mason. We are far from that ideal. How can we possibly maximize our service to that extent?" This question could be analyzed in many ways; however, the simple and safe Masonic formula is to first pray to God for guidance in acquiring a working knowledge of the tools of the Speculative Mason. After praying for guidance, pick one tool such as the common Gavel. Learn all there is to know about it physically, and then learn all there is to know about its Masonic symbolism. After this intellectual knowledge is gained, the experiential knowledge will follow as we apply that particular tool to our personal reactions to the situations, which our daily living presents to us. Brothers, let us smooth our individual ashler, for in smoothing our Ashler, we not only do our Craft a great service but ourselves as well, for a rough Ashler, (an unrefined character), can only lead to pain. Masonic Quotes "Freemasonry is anxious to give of her secrets to worthy men fit to receive them but not all are worthy, and not all the worthy seek." "He who seeks Freemasonry out of curiosity for her secrets must be bitterly disappointed." Brother Carl Claudy College of the Consistory By Bryan D. Bechler, 32 When an individual first joins Scottish Rite, he is given a tremendous amount of information. As he progresses through the degrees, some of the initial information may be lost or not fully understood. Then there are members who have been active for many years and may have forgotten the deep meaning of each degree as they were performed. The Guthrie Scottish Rite in Oklahoma can help with this with the 4 th through the 14 th degrees. They have developed a College of the Consistory which anyone can participate in. The College of the Consistory exists because members asked for it and at Leadership Conferences held across the Southern Jurisdiction, Scottish Rite members were asked what they wanted from the Rite. The single most common answer was "more Masonic education." That's only reasonable. Whether a Brother takes the Degrees in a single day, or in a multi-day Reunion, there is much more than can be learned and remembered at once. One needs time to reflect and think, time to see relationships in information, time to let the intellectual dust settle a little. The College of the Consistory is a free self-study program for Scottish Rite Masons of all Orients. The curriculum is facilitated by the Guthrie College and made available to all enrolled members. The College distributes to its members a syllabus of each degree of the Rite, which will provide ideas for essays and research papers. Each member can choose a topic from the syllabus, or is free to select a subject not included in the syllabus, provided that it represents a theme or topic concerning that degree. To enroll is a simple process. First, go to: then click on Consistory. There is a dropdown menu. From this menu, choose College of the Consistory. This will give you all the initial information you will need. Your computer will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download. You can print out an application or apply online. Once your application is submitted, it will take twothree weeks for you to receive your course material. You will need to have a copy of Bridge to Light to work with. Having already started this course, I ve found it to be insightful and educational. I challenge all the members of the Everett Valley to follow through and take this course!

8 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 July 2006 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 - Masonic Motorcycle club - Calendar of Events - Districts 8 & 9 Calendar of Events - The History of the Double Eagle - Take me out to the Ball Game - A Masonic Moment - Freemasonry in Context History * Ritual * Controversy A brief review by Stephen M. Osborn, 32, K.S.A., S.R.R.S. - Masonic Education Freemasonry & Service - College of the Consistory Webmasters Note: Come visit the Everett Valley web site can be located at DATES TO REMEMBER July 16, 2006 The Valley of Everett s Annual Tailgate Party to be held at the Everett Masonic Center. 6:00 PM July 28, 2006 The Valley of Everett s Aqua Sox s Take me out to the Ball Game Night at the Everett Memorial Stadium. 6:00 PM Cost: $18.00 per person Valley of Everett, Scottish Rite Contact List Carl Smith, 33º, Personal Representative of the S.G.I G. Telephone: (360) Umpire@wavecable.net Charrison Lochaby, Secretary Telephone: clochaby@whidbey.net Hernan Davinagracia, Almoner Telephone: divina@verizon.net Being married is like playing ball in a pasture you really have to watch your step. Uncle Joe, The Chinaberry Tree Philosopher