Washington Lodge 4 December 2017 YEAR 2017/18 ELECTED OFFICERS W.Bro.Dean Roettger. Worshipful Master worshipfulmaster@washingtonlodge4.org Bro. Chris Carter. Senior Warden senior.warden@washingtonlodge4.org Bro. Todd Dow Junior Warden junior.warden@washingtonlodge4.org W.B. Mark Sanders Treasurer treasurer@washingtonlodge4.org W.B. Mike Bishop Secretary secretary@washingtonlodge4.org Sr. Deacon - Larry Marks Jr. Deacon - Justin Mattaliano Chaplain - Rick Cox Marshall - David Upjohn Tyler - W.B. Gordon Johnson Sr. Steward -Richard Kayfes Junior Steward- Nick Trudeau Tyler- Tom Clark Musician- Joe Reef Historian- Dave Coffing Trestle Board Editor Ron Fryer All articles should be submitted to the Secretary no later than 15th of each month. All members are welcomed and encouraged to participate. trestleboard@washingtonlodge4.org Visit our web www.washingtonlodge4.org Greetings from the East Founded in 1857 Meeting on the Level Acting by the Plumb Parting on the Square Congratulations to our most recently obligated Fellowcraft, Brother Caleb Brouk!!!! What a great and fulfilling Evening. Many thanks to all the Brothers who came forth to make this evening a possibility and such a huge success. The time, effort and energy that was put into the preparation for this degree was impossible to miss. The seriousness and importance that all of you took and are taking in regards to the degrees and the ritual is quite honorable. I hope that everyone is ready for an outstanding December!! Don t forget that we are not having a special at the Lodge on the 21st, but rather are having a Washington 4 Christmas party at Joe Reef s home on the 23rd. Brothers and their families are welcome to attend and don t forget, bring a gift for each person in your family who is going to participate in the gift exchange. No gifts over $10. Thank you to all the Brothers in the Lodge for making my first Month as Master a complete joy. With Brothers like you by my side, I m very confident that we will have a fun and productive year!!! Dean D. Roettger December Birthdays Kenneth Towle 12/17 Robert Wilson 12/29 Michael McCanta 12/13 Seward Shuman 12/11 Arvid Kulits 12/2 Frederick Davis 12/27 Leigh Cahill 12/11 Ronald Hughes 12/23 Richard Martin 12/14 Keith Rogers 12/7
The Chaplains Corner Here is another selection from Level Steps, 100 Daily Meditations for Freemasons by Jonti Marks. It should be understood by every Brother - and made clear at an early stage to every Candidate for Initiation - that membership of the Craft is not to be used as a means of promoting his personal or business advantage. -Points of Procedure It is no coincidence that the thing the outside world most suspects us of is the very thing which we must be most on our guard. It would be so easy to fall into the trap treating our Masonic Brethren differently, of saving the best in ourselves for them. It is natural for us to feel a particular affinity with those who share our rites and there is no shame in rejoicing in the Brotherhood that Freemasonry brings us; but we must not lose sight of the most profound teaching of our Order: that all humankind is one family under God. Our treatment of every individual within the greater family should be such that it could not be bettered even when directed to the interests of a fellow Mason. We should nor seek to raise Brethren above humankind but should seek to treat all humankind as our Brethren, For all of our Brothers and fellows; widows, friends or families that are having a difficult time right now, or are currently suffering in sickness or distress, please reach out to us as we are standing ready to help out within the length of our cable tow. So mote it be In Brotherly Love and Friendship Bro. Rick Cox Chaplain, Washington Lodge #4 DECEMBER 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Washington 4 Stated 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 New Year s Eve 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Travel to Christmas Kenton Lodge Party (see p.8) 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Christmas Day Offi cers meeting 7:00pm 2
About the Lodge Worshipful Master Dean Roettger paid a visit to White Salmon Lodge and was met with a warm welcome and a hearty plate of spaghetti! Nearly 25 Brethren from four different lodges gathered for the Passing of Brother Caleb Brouk to the degree of Fellow Craft. At the direction of W.M. Dean Roettger, WB Don Houston conferred the degree with W.B. Dale Vrsalovich rendering the charge. Bro. Richard Kayfes, who was just recently raised as a Master Mason delivered the working tools. Fantastic evening for all. 3
Greetings from the West From the JUNIOR WARDEN Todd Dow Brethren, What a great degree night at our new location. Congrats to Bro. Caleb on his fellow craft and great job to the degree team! Also, big thank you to those that helped the JW and those that helped with setting everything up and putting everything away. I would especially like to wish all of you and your family the happiest of holidays. Hope to see everyone at lodge this winter. December Stated Menu Baked Ham Sweet Potato Mash w/maple Glaze Bacon Asparagus Caesar Salad Dinner Rolls Fraternally, Bro. Chris Carter Senior Warden Richard Kayfes Senior Steward Making a good man better Since making my appearance at burns night in my three piece suit ( I was a little over dressed ) to now. There has been a noticeable change in my behavior, my outlook on life and my respect for others. Could it be that I m surrounded by great men? Could it be the lectures of the ancient craft? Or could it be my own drive to become a better man. It is something we all sought out to achieve, even if it was a fraction of the reason we decided to join the fraternity. Personally I have become more tolerant of others and their beliefs. Learning to be diverse is key for us Masons. We all come from different walks of life. From salesmen to manual labor to surgeons. Or even different deities. We all embrace one another and accept each other. Being a better man could mean waking up with a better attitude everyday. Or it could mean at work when you re upset with something you see ran wrong you step up to the plate and fix it yourself instead of complaining to everyone. I know that for myself I strive everyday to be better than I was yesterday in anyway possible. And that is with thanks to the craft. Thank you, Richard Kayfes Senior Steward 4
THE SECRETARY S SPIN A young man passed a pawnbroker s shop. The money lender was standing in front of his shop, and the young man noted that he was wearing a large and beautiful Masonic emblem on his lapel. After going on for a whole block, apparently lost in thought, the young man then turned back, stepped up to the pawnbroker, and addressed him: I see you re wearing a Masonic emblem. I am a Freemason too. It happens that I am desperately in need of $25 just now. I shall be able to repay it within ten days. You don t know me; but I wonder whether the fact that you are a Freemason, and that I am a Freemason is sufficient to induce you to lend me the money on my personal note. The pawnbroker mentally appraised the young man, who was clean-cut, neat and well-dressed. After a moment of thought, he agreed to make the loan on the strength of the young man being a Freemason. Within a few days the young man repaid the loan as agreed and that ended the transaction. About six months later the young man was in a Lodge receiving the Entered Apprentice Degree; he had not really been a Mason when he borrowed the $25. After he had been admitted for the second section of the degree, the young man looked across the Lodge room and saw the pawnbroker from whom he had borrowed the $25. His face turned crimson and he became nervous and jittery. He wondered whether he had been recognized by the pawnbroker. Apparently not, so he planned at the first opportunity to slip out and avoid his benefactor. As soon as the Lodge was closed he moved quickly for the door, but the pawnbroker had recognized the young man, headed him off. To the young man s astonishment, the benefactor approached him and greeted him with a smile and outstretched hand. Well, I see you were not a Freemason after all when you borrowed that $25, the pawnbroker commented. The blood rushed to the young man s face as he stammered. No, I was not, but I wish you would let me explain. I had always heard that Freemasons were charitable and ready to aid a Brother in distress. When I passed your shop that day I did not need that $25. I had plenty of money in my wallet, but when I saw the Masonic emblem you were wearing, I decided to find out whether the things I had heard about Freemasonry were true. You let me have the money on the strength of my being a Freemason, so I concluded that what I had heard about Masons was true, that they are charitable, that they do aid Brethren in distress. That made such a deep impression on me that I presented my petition to this Lodge and here I am. I trust that with this explanation you will forgive me for having lied to you. The pawnbroker responded. Do not let that worry you too much. I was not a Freemason when I let you have the money. I had no business wearing the Masonic emblem you saw. Another man had just borrowed some money on it, and it was so pretty that I put it on my lapel for a few minutes. I took it off the moment you left. I did not want anyone else borrowing money on the strength of my being a Freemason. When you asked for that $25, I remembered what I had heard about Masons, that they were honest, upright, and cared for their obligations promptly. It seemed to me that $25 would not be too much to lose to learn if what I had heard was really true, so I lent you the money and you repaid it exactly as you said you would. That convinced me that what I had heard about Masons was true so I presented my petition to this Lodge. I was the candidate just ahead of you. It is often said that a man is first prepared to be a Mason in his heart. Remember to listen to your heart this Thanksgiving Day and give thanks for all that the bounties that have been showered upon you. Be well. May the blessing of heaven rest upon us an all regular Masons. May brotherly love prevail, and may every moral and social virtue cement us! WB Mike Bishop - Secretary 5
Submitted by Larry Marks I would like to share part of an article that seems particularly appropriate to me this month. I bet my brothers from our special know why. Senior Deacon - Larry Marks A rhetorical analysis of St Paul s Famous Letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13) The words Charity and love are not simply what everybody claims they are in daily colloquial use. In the selected exert from St Paul s letter to the Corinthians, St Paul employs definition as a rhetorical strategy to make his argument that charity is not in its essence something that people should use to boast their own perception. St Paul argues that charity is instead a concept that is complex and specific, and is comprised of many unique attributes. He structures his argument to start with first specific claims on what charity is not or does not possess before moving on to describe what charity is and its distinctions, finally using a metaphor to illustrate how he had come to the better definition of charity. Here is the text: 1 Corinthians 13: If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. For the sake of brevity, I have analyzed the text line-by-line and written analysis in bolded text for the reader s convenience 1 If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Starting with a parallel structure, St. Paul here defines charity as not simply talking with great and pleasing rhetoric, but actually containing an element in itself. 2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. If you notice at this point, anaphora is used to set up the same parallel structure from Line 1 6
to say that charity is not simply the doing of great deeds or possession of great wisdom. 3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Here there is a contention with the literal definition of charity as giving away of possessions, and St Paul s definition, and although St Paul does not reveal his definition, yet he sets it apart from the literal one. 4 Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; Here St Paul is using personification to help metaphorically define charity in a visual way. 5 Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; The continued personification sets charity apart from things that can lead to sin or are not related to charity. 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; The main contention here is that there is an element of charity that is not subjectively defined but is actually a part of truth itself. 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. The continued personification is poetic and contains a nice flow and use of consonance 8 Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. There is a sense of hyperbole or at the very least a metaphor raising the value of charity as being higher in virtue than knowledge and prophecy. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. There is a literal mention to the use of synecdoche and our knowledge of charity to be partial. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. There is a criticism of synecdoche in defining charity, as St Paul believes in a more complete definition than just a representation. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. The use of an analogy to childhood and to growth helps define the move of the argument from reasoning to an explanation of why charity is now more known to the speaker (St Paul) 12 We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known. The metaphorical description of a transition in knowledge from St Paul s audiences perception of Charity to its true definition as St Paul knows it to be. 13 And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity. 7
The plainly stated definition of charity as St Paul intends it: the greatest of three virtues, in itself a complex metaphorical comparison. Overall, St Paul employs many rhetorical strategies in seeking to redefine charity. His effectiveness in getting readers to reconsider their views on love and charity, combined with the countless retelling of this excerpt, speaks to its importance. The intrusion into popular culture and wedding receptions only further solidifies St Paul s definition of love as one of the most famous and complete definitions, while also proving the effectiveness of definition as a rhetorical strategy. www.theodysseyonline.com/st-paul-charity, quoted in part Lodge Etiquette Over the next weeks I will be doing a few short "Lodge Basics" posts covering matters I've seen over the years in a number of lodges where members may be in need of some brotherly fine tuning. A number of different subjects will be covered. Let's start with this one. When a lodge has a speaker, the brother speaking has taken time out of his life to come to lodge with the goal of sharing information or knowledge. The lodge should be in his debt. Quite a number of times I have seen brothers during a lecture hold private conversations, shuffling papers or doing all sorts of things that only act as a distraction. It is disruptive and very disrespectful to the speaker. When someone is speaking in your lodge, and it does not matter who it is or if he is a member of the lodge or not, everyone should be listening to him and paying him the respect of your attention. Members should not be talking to each other nor should officers use that time to do work or have discussions with other officers. The only one in the lodge that should be doing anything while someone is speaking is the Secretary. The Secretary should be taking notes of the subject of the talk necessary for the minutes. No other business by anyone should be done while someone is speaking or lecturing. This is basic politeness and something that must be exercised in a lodge or it will be seen more as a neighborhood club than a Masonic lodge. Dale Vrsalovich Washington 4 Lodge Christmas Party December 23, 2017 6:00 PM at the home of Joe Reef 200 NW 107th Street Gift Exchange ($10 Max) For more info call Joe at 360-635-4369 8
Washington Lodge Past Masters *1857 - Lewis Van Vleet *1858 - Lewis Van Vleet *1859 - Jas. A. Grahame *1860 - Jas. A. Grahame *1861 - Lewis Van Vleet *1862 - Louis Sohns *1863 - Levi Farnsworth *1864 - Wm. H. Troup *1865 - Wm. H. Troup *1866 - Wm. H. Troup *1867 - Wm. H. Troup *1868 - Wm. H. Troup *1869 - Jos. M. Fletcher *1870 - Louis Sohns *1871 - James Davidson *1872 - John Eddings *1873 - Geo. W. Durgan *1874 - Louis Sohns *1875 - Louis Sohns *1876 - Jos. M. Fletcher *1877 - Jos. M. Fletcher *1878 - Geo. W. Durgan *1879 - Albert S. Nicholson *1880 - John G. Blake *1881 - Horace N. Kress *1882 - Horace N. Kress *1883 - John G. Blake *1884 - Louis Sohns *1885 - Louis Sohns *1886 - Louis Sohns *1887 - Lowell M. Hidden *1888 - Louis R. Sohns *1889 - Louis R. Sohns *1890 - Henry Christ *1891 - Charles A. Johnson *1892 - Louis R. Sohns *1893 - Wm. H. Eddings *1894 - Louis R. Sohns *1895 - Edward F. Hixon *1896 - Edward F. Hixon *1897 - Jas. M. Pritchard *1898 - Dexter C. Grunow *1899 - Jos. A. C. Brant *1900 - Edward F. Hixon *1901 - Dan Crowley *1902 - Jos. R. Harvey *1903 - Wm. H. H. King *1904 - Wm. H. Martin *1905 - E. M. Green *1906 - John Harvey *1907 - M. R. Sparks *1908 - Herman J. Erdman *1909 - William E. Yates *1910 - Lewis G. Conant *1911 - Rudolph G. Ebert *1912 - James Scott *1913 - Dennis Nichols *1914 - Hugh McKinley *1915 - Samuel J. Miller *1916 - Francis M. Young *1917 - Wm. J. Kinney *1918 - Bert Yates *1919 - W. B. Richardson *1920 - M. W. O Dell *1921 - Frank Steele *1922 - Claude E. Baty *1923 - Chas. H. Thurman *1924 - Horace H. Daniels *1925 - Forest H. Gay *1926 - Fred W. Sinclair *1927 - W. E. Pearson *1928 - Jesse L. Dodge *1929 - Claude C. Snider. *1930 - Cecil C. Cady *1931 - Ralph E. Carter *1932 - Olaf N. Lorass *1933 - Jay A. Sly *1934 - Erwin O. Rieger *1935 - Clark W. Moody *1936 - Elmer K. Bakke *1937 - Irwin L. Hopfe *1938 - James C. Callahan *1939 - Raymond T. Forrest *1940 - Howard D. Phillips *1941 - Ben H. Kreis *1942 - J. Guthrie Langsdorf *1943 - William J. Yunker *1944 - Ira G. Holcomb *1945 - Horace Hatch *1946 - Perry L. Hartsock *1947 - Roy C. Wilson *1948 - Clifford W. Koppe *1949 - Albert N. Stanley *1950 - Phillip LeRoy Weeks *1951 - W. E. Lawton *1952 - James A. Daniels *1953 - J. Ralph Morley *1954 - Clarence W. Olson *1955 - Kenneth F. Cone * l956 - J. D. Power *1957 - Leslie Sorensen *1958 - Hugh H. Bolton *1959 - Roland F. McKennett *1960 - Robert J. Moss *1961 - Milton V. Poe *1962 - James R. Gregg *1963 - Richard A. Flett *1964 - Thomas Lee Wilson *1965 - Eugene F. Hartley *1966 - Franklin H. McClung *1966 - Harold S. Ball (Hon.) *1967 - Earl E. (Bud) Sewell, Jr. *1968 - Robert T. Ludahl *1969 - H. A. Benedict 11 *1970 - Donald L. Wallingford *1971 - Robert L. Zweifel *1972 - S. Gene Grover *1973 - David W. Williamson *1974 - J. R. (Dick) Brown *1975 - Thomas B. Chapman *1976 - AIf Gregerson *1977 - Abraham N. Cutter *1978 - Albert D. Shaw *1979 - Robert L. Zweifel *1980 - Thomas W. Lloyd *1981 - David W. Williamson *1982 - John R. Feliz *1983 - Donald B. Gilliland *1984 - Gayle F. Cupp *1985 - Thomas B. Chapman *1986 - Thomas R. Fletcher *1987 - Richard J. Reed *1988 - Kenneth L. Cox *1989 - Gerald D. Preuss *1989 - Dale V. Simpson (Hon.) *1990 - Thomas A. Curry *1991 - Murray Falk *1992 - Willard M. Dewar *1993 - George W. Wilson *1994 - David W. Williamson *1995 - Kirk E. Williams *1996 - Michael L. Sanders *1997 - Thomas J. Macready. *1997 - Donald P. Graham (Hon.) *1998 - Marvin E. Christian *1999 - George A. Titus *2000 - James R. Thompson *2001 - James R. Thompson *2002 - Thomas J. Macready. *2003 - Kenneth D. McCoy *2004 - Terry K. Gaya *2005 - Roxy W. Spray *2006 - Thom B. Taylor *2007 - Mark D. Sanders *2008 - Joseph P. Conroy *2009 - Don Houston *2010 - Michael J. Bishop *2011 - H.J. (Hank) Shaffer *2012 - David C. Coffing. *2013 - Frederick T. Davis *2014 - Leigh F. Cahill *2015 - Gordon S. Johnson *2015 - Tudor F. Davis (Hon.) *2016 - David A. Rice *2017 - Thomas W. Clark *2018 - Dean Roettger 9