THE SLIP KNOT! Maritime Lodge #239 April 2015 Upcoming Events 4/2 Food Bank deliveries Brothers Flood & Leckie 4/13 Maritime Stated, light dinner at 6:15, meeting at 7:30! An electronic Trestle Board The purpose and intent of this electronic trestle board is in hopes of regaining some of what we have lost with the termination of the Masonic Monitor. The goal is to develop a monthly source to disseminate pertinent information to our members and provide a venue for you, the member, to express your ideas and opinions, post photos, report news, advertise your business and whatever else you might want it to be. Please don t hesitate to use and share it! 4/14 D4 Scholarship Grading Green Lake at 7 PM 4/16 - Food Bank delivery Brothers Lyman & Hyde 4/25 - District Four Breakfast hosted by Rainier Lodge #189 at Greenwood, 8 AM 4/27 D4 Scholarship Oral Interviews at Greenwood 6 PM MISSION STATEMENT To collectively practice and preserve the principles, tenets and rituals of Freemasonry to the best of our ability - To promote friendship, morality and Brotherly love among man and Mason - To maintain our commitment to the Seafaring man and, To endeavor as a Lodge to have a profound positive effect in and on our community - 1
Maritime Lodge #239, F. & A. M. of Washington Issue 4, April 2015 WM Jeffery A. Flood And The Master says. Greetings from the East! Maritime Lodge and all its members welcome the coming spring. I am happy to report that the lodge is doing well. We had a great March stated meeting with a thoughtful presentation from the Sr. Warden in the West about the importance of the Sr. Deacon to the Lodge. Brother Ken Van Cooten nailed several points about the role(s) that the Sr. Deacon plays during stated meetings and especially Degree Work. The Jr. Warden, Brother Aaron Cohn, initiated and organized a visit to Doric Lodge for their Stated meeting to retrieve the Traveling Gavel. And yes, Brothers, we brought it home. Thanks very much for that Aaron. I must say we were greeted and welcomed very warmly by our Fremont Brethren. It was different being back in that Lodge for the first time in almost 4 years. I enjoyed myself and am very glad that I/we went. I do not think it will be so long before our next visit. There is so much more to say about the Lodge but I will instead invite you all to come out for our April Stated meeting and see for yourself. There will be a presentation from Very Worshipful Brother Ian Hyde on the History of Masonry and the Mormons. I look forward to shaking all your hands in April. Cheers! Brother Ken Van-Cooten, Senior Warden A little guidance from the West... Hello Brethren, this month I would like to ask you to give some serious thought to a problem that we have been struggling with for some time. I know that this may sound like an old problem and some would rather leave it alone and not bother with it. Well, that s an easy way to put it on the back burner, or, of discarding it altogether. Brethren, the attendance, or rather, the lack thereof at our Stated meetings has reached a critical stage. If you love and care for Maritime Lodge, now is the time to step forward and show it. Attend our meetings and help pull us out of this slump. There has been some talk of merging with another district lodge. This would put an end to Maritime, as we know it. Personally I would support such a move only if there is no other solution available and I don t believe that is the case or that this is that time. (Cont. Page 3) 2
Maritime Lodge #239, F. & A. M. of Washington Issue 4, April 2015 (Cont. from Page 2) I am sure that the Worshipful Master would welcome any and all suggestions that might bring about an increase in attendance and membership. We have talked about this before and heard some valued suggestions which, as of yet, we have failed to implement. Let s put our minds together to solve this problem. To defer this dilemma until a later date can only tilt the odds in favor of dissolving Maritime Lodge. At this point procrastination is not a preference. Let us intensify our efforts and kick attendance and membership into a higher gear. We must deal with this problem now! Editors note: Maritime Lodge welcomes all Masons of any degree at our Stated communications. Rusty Masons are welcome and encouraged to join us, we can make that refresher easy and enjoyable. Please join us the second Monday of the month for a light dinner at 6:15 followed by the meeting at 7:30 (We will be dark July, August & December). To our members: You are important and your presence at Lodge meetings is greatly appreciated. Brother Aaron Cohn, Junior Warden A message from the South I would like to start off by thanking all of the Brethren who joined us for the March Stated meeting. We had a great presentation by Brother Ken Van Cooten about proper etiquette in the lodge and getting our ritual work down, which is something that all of us could use. We also discussed getting the Traveling Gavel back home at Maritime #239 (where it belongs ) from Doric #92. It was great to break bread with the Doric Brothers (if anyone is looking for an amazing meal I highly recommend making one of their meetings) and to be back in our old Lodge building. Please join us for our next Stated Meeting on April 13th with a light dinner at 6:30 pm followed by the Stated meeting at 7:30 pm. During the Stated we ll have a presentation from VWB Ian Hyde, which I m sure will be riveting! The Plumb...which is an operative stonemason's instrument used for ascertaining the alignment of a vertical surface, reminds us to maintain upright behavior among Masons and men. 3
Brethren, in accordance with the plan implemented at the start of this Masonic Year there will be a short program again at our April 13 th stated meeting. VWB Hyde will lead us in exploring the relationship between Freemasonry and Mormonism. The events surrounding the founding of the LDS church occurred at the same time and in the same area as Masonry s Morgan Affair in 1826. Although the Mormon Prophet Joseph Smith did not formerly join Masonry until 1842, there is evidence of the intertwining of both groups prior to this time. Following the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844, the charters of the four Mormon lodges in and around Nauvoo, Illinois were rescinded by the Grand Lodge of Illinois, thus ending the formal relationship between these groups until the Grand Lodge of Utah rescinded its prohibition on Mormons becoming Masons in Utah, in 1984. Regarding this prohibition, Brigham Young, second president of the Church and a Master Mason, remarked at a conference in Salt Lake City: They (the Masons) deny us entry into their assemblies, they claim, because we practice polygamy and yet they trace their origin to King Solomon, who had more wives than I have, and 300 concubines of which I have none that I know of. YOU RE MY LADY.. by Jackie Beddo It s me again, the Lady Masonette. In this, the fourth edition of The Slipknot, I will discuss both kids at Lodge, and the word lady as it applies to a Mason s female partner. I came to Maritime at the tender age of 39 years old. I am presently 58. At the time I was newly divorced and my daughter Alex was five. Tony not only enthusiastically included me in every meeting, picnic, and dinner that was possible he also included Alex. She came to many Maritime events, many of which taxed her patience. Lodge is not made for kids to enjoy, that s for sure. Because of this she and I spent a fair amount of time in the Ladies Lounges in various Lodges Occidental, Doric, etc. It passed the time and she wasn t able to disrupt the long-winded meetings. On a positive note, however, at the age of 25 she has fond memories of being adored by all Masons at any event she attended. Each time a female partner is introduced at Maritime she is referred to as a lady. It has always struck me as old fashioned and I am always embarrassed by it. Lady to me means a woman who is genteel, gracious, well mannered, and soft-spoken. A lady is a help-meet to her husband, is adept at small talk with those she doesn t know, volunteers to put up - and take down decorations, doesn t let any bodily noises escape her body ever! (Cont. page 5) 4
(Cont. from page 4) Alas, I am not that lady. I can make [only] limited small talk before I feel as though my head will explode; I swear like a sailor; I believe that I am surrounded by spirits; I sport a Smokey Bear tattoo and a pierced nose; Tony and I walk side-by-side through this world and have each other s backs. Is it just quirky old me, or should the term lady be moved along at Maritime for something more current? The Master s partner? Masonette? Divine Goddess? Communication, Communication, Communication By WB Tony Corning How can we expect the Lodge to prosper and grow if we fail to communicate amongst ourselves? How can we expect to attract new members if we fail to communicate with others? How do we expect our members to take an interest, if we fail to communicate the Lodges needs? Communication is vital in every thing we do, in our every day life and in our Masonry. In Masonry we communicate in many different ways, but primarily through the use of the three vital senses of sight, sound and touch. In the outside world we see the symbols of Freemasonry all around us, from television, to cornerstones of buildings and building facades, the decals and emblems on our cars, right down to the rings we wear on our hands, we may hear that call Hey Hiram plus we have use of some special grips and words for recognition. But with all of this, what have we really communicated other than recognition amongst ourselves? Within the Lodge we utilize those same grips of recognition, certain words and symbols, enhanced with ritual, tenets and established customs. In the beginning a relationship develops between a candidate and his mentor, camaraderie prevails and friendships develop. But have we communicated what we the member or the Lodge as a whole actually may want, need or expect? There is much that can be said about communication or the lack there of. Some would say we have little or no communication at all. Actually, Maritime Lodge has adopted many different ways and means to communicate within our ranks. For example, all active members phone numbers are readily available, as are their email addresses, we also have a website http://www.maritimemasons239.com a facebook page http://www.facebook.com/maritime.masons plus this electronic trestle board. And I failed to mention texting. But do we communicate? It seems apparent that we have developed the tools necessary to communicate, so what s the problem? How about utilization? When s the last time you spoke to a friend or neighbor about Masonry or picked up the phone and called a Brother, checked the webpage, posted on the facebook page or contributed something for the Slip Knot? Simply food for thought men! I m pretty sure with a little effort, we can do better! 5
Let s talk visitation. In the last issue it was suggested that, in an effort to improve meeting attendance, that a visitation pact with one or more of the District Four Lodges might help. Offering to ensure that a minimum number of our members will attend their Stated meetings in exchange for similar visitation by their members would no doubt benefit any Lodge that might choose to participate. Although there my not have been such a pact, visitation works! Maritime was able to put together enough members to retrieve the Traveling Gavel by visiting Doric Lodge #92 and was rewarded by visitation from three other lodges. Don t think for a minute that visitation is not reciprocal, because it is..does it take time and effort? Yes it does! Below is the meeting schedule of all District Four Lodges: Occidental Lodge No. 72-3rd Thurs.* 2006 N.W. Market Street, Seattle 98107-4012 Doric Lodge No. 92 - First Tues. (if Hol. next day)* 619 N. 36th, Seattle 98103-8615 Green Lake Lodge No. 149-1st Thurs. (If Hol. 2nd Thurs.)* 307 N.E. Maple Leaf Pl., Seattle 98115-5315 Rainier Lodge No. 189-2nd Fri., except 3rd Fri. of June, (Dark July, Aug. & Dec.), Greenwood Masonic Center, 7910 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle. 98103-4636 Maritime Lodge No. 239-2nd Mon. each month except July, August, December, Greenwood Masonic Center, 7910 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle. 98103-4636 Greenwood Lodge No. 253-1st Wed. (If Hol. 2nd Wed.)* 7910 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle. 98103-4636 The Sunshine Report It seems it had been somewhat erroneously reported that Brother Robert (Bob) Bacon is experiencing some serious age related health issues. Brother Bacon was Maritime Lodge s man at sea for many years. He has always been a very dedicated Mason and Lodge member. So let s all keep him and all our ailing brothers in our thoughts and prayers anyway. 6
Plus a little news... Landmark Lodge #128, our sister Lodge in Maple Ridge, B.C. has changed their meeting dates from Fridays to Thursdays. It has been a traditional custom of the Lodges that in addition to periodic visitations, that we attend and at times participate in each other Installation of Officers. At Maritime for example the late MWB C. Grant Wardlaw traditionally installed the Secretary and Treasurer. Since his passing that tradition has been carried on by WB Douglas Potter. Landmark s upcoming Installation of Officers is slated for May 7, 2015 and now is the time plan for that trip. A Brother Mark Teegarden from Corinthian Lodge #93 in Towson, MD contacted the lodge in regard to his great, great, great grandfather WB Andrew J. Storrs. Brother Teegarden also extended an invitation to visit to any brother traveling in the Baltimore area. As it turns out Brother Storrs was a charter member of Maritime Lodge and the Lodge s first Worshipful Master. I have suggested to Brother Teegarden that upon my return, that I will do further research, which may offer an insight to lodge history. Happy Birthday Brother April Birthdays 4/17 Robert (Bob) Bacon 4/11 Ian Hyde 4/23 Richard Marsh 4/9 Ted Plumis 4/4 Anthony Reynolds April Masonic Birthdays 4/16/87 Donald Carnley 4/15/82 Genaro Garcia 4/21/83 Paul Koester 4/20/72 Johnnie Lamm 4/12/86 M. Gene Ross 4/29 Bruce Wakeman 4/18 Dave Wakeman Share your story or your thoughts, feelings or ideas. They may seem trivial to you, but they might be of great interest to the rest of us! Email them to: tony.corning@maritimemasons239.com 7
And now let s get down to business Please patronize and support the businesses of our members and those who support us... WB Jeff Flood - The Ravenna Ale House, 2687 NE 65th, Seattle. A neighborhood pub with great food and great fun. (206) 729-9083 Brother Andrew Leckie - BAR DOJO, 8404 Bowdoin Way, Edmonds, WA 98020 (425) 967-7267 Email: feedme@bardojo.com Shooby Doo Catering. NEW - Brother Andrew Leckie - Salt and Iron, 321 Main Street, Edmonds, WA. Steak and Oysters plus much, much more! 7 days, hours vary (425) 361-1112 VWB C. Blair Leckie - Keller Williams Realty, 1307 N. 45th Street, Seattle, WA 98103. (206) 963-6186 Email: bleckie@kw.com Georgia Leckie - Inspired Interiors, 10506 Robin Hood Drive, Edmonds, WA 98020. (206) 541-6163 Email: inspiredinteriors@mac.com Brother Tim Arnot- Tim's Tavern. 602 N 105th St. Seattle, WA 98133. 2-2 weekdays, noon - 2 am weekends. Live music 7 nights per week. Brother Ken Van-Cooten - Fahrenheit Steel, Relax to the soft ring of his tropical steel drums. Dinner, Dance and Entertainment music that is truly unique. (206) 551-9612 Your name and business can appear here! If you want your business to appear in the Slip Knot you must submit your updated business information to me by the 20th of the month. Email your business information to: tony.corning@maritimemasons239.com Disclaimer If there were to be such a thing as an editor, he would accept absolutely no responsibility for the content, accuracy or grammatical correctness of any article printed in this publication So, until someone else decides to take this up, forward those photos, ideas, opinions and business info, etc. to me at tony.corning@maritimemasons239.com and I ll include them in the next issue. The deadline for submittal will be the 20th of the month for the subsequent months issue. 8