A u g u s t 1, 2012 The Vision Statement Of Oasis Masonic Lodge # 52 Is That The Lodge: Is A Recognized Active Participant In The Masonic Community Fostering Fraternal Fellowship And Masonic Teachings. Supports The Local Community Through Involvement With Public Schools And Programs Addressing Community Concerns. The Mission Statement Of Oasis Masonic Lodge # 52 Is To: From the East WB Randy Jager s I have been reporting all year long, the busy Oasis Lodge A marches on! On Wednesday, May 23, Oasis Lodge was invited to attend the end of year faculty Preserve And Promote The Teachings Of Freemasonry. Promote Masonic Values Through Service To Mankind And Truth In Life. Inspire Good Men To Seek Membership Within Our Organization. Encourage The Membership To Continually Seek The Truth. Promote Active Fellowship With Masonic Friends And Family. celebration at Ana-Henry Elementary School. At this event, a plaque was presented which was dedicated to the late WB Jim Donovan for his service to the school over the past several years. WB Jim Donovan volunteered his time for countless hours every week on behalf of Oasis Lodge and the Masonic Fraternity. He read to students, helped during lunch-time, and even assisted hall and play-ground monitors during the school day. The plaque is proudly displayed in the school library for all faculty, students, and visitors to see for years to come. Pictured to the left is Ana-Henry School Principal, Jon Ben-Asher during the presentation of WB Jim Donovan s plaque. Close to the end of May, several Oasis members assisted with the installation of officers for Horizon Chapter #69 OES. While Oasis has always cherished our relationship with this group of Sisters and Brothers very much, this installation was special to us. Teresa and Jerry Badinger were installed as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron of the Chapter. For years now, WB Jerry Badinger has been a very active member of Oasis. He has worked very hard to develop the relationship between Horizon and Oasis, and the Lodge is so grateful for this service. This is not the first time in the East for the Badingers at Horizon Chapter, but they are certainly not taking the term for granted. They are planning ice cream socials and even a movie night! I am asking that the Oasis members turn out in force and participate in these functions this year, but don t do it for me do it for yourself. These activities are going to be FUN. The first ice cream social will be in the past by the time this article is published, but the movie night is scheduled for Thursday, August 9 at 6pm. Come on out, support the Chapter and have a great time! The last Tuesday in May, Oasis hosted an educational night focused specifically on the Entered Apprentice Degree. This special night featured a key-note speaker of none other than Most Worshipful Brother James W. Sebastian. Even though MWB James had to leave the very next morning for Grand Lodge in Sedonna, he delivered a very informative and thought provoking presentation. (Continued on page 2)
P a g e 2 Features Page 1 Oasis Lodge Vision Statement Oasis Lodge Mission Statement Thoughts from the Worshipful Master Page 2 Masonic Birthdays Page 3 Upcoming Events 2012 Officers 2012 Committees (Continued from page 1) Along with MWB James, there were several learned Oasis members that delivered very informative presentations. The event was well attended by Oasis Lodge members, but we were not able to draw members of any other Lodge. It is, of course, important (and the Oasis Lodge intention) to offer educational presentations for our own members. However, educational nights are even more effective and fun when they are combined with great fellowship. Learning together brings us closer together. We will strive to bring even more members of other Lodges to our educational presentations planned for the remainder of the year. WB Lee Harter did a fantastic job of arranging this educational evening for us thank you, WB Lee! The end of May brought Oasis Officers and Past Masters to the attendance of Arizona Grand Lodge. It was certainly an eventful Grand Lodge, and in the end Grand Lodge Officers were elected and appointed as follows: M..W.. Grand Master Jeffery S. Carlton R..W.. Deputy Grand Master William A. Garrard Jr R..W.. Senior Grand Warden Michael B. Manning R..W.. Junior Grand Warden J. Michael Atchley V..W.. Grand Treasurer Robert D. Wainwright V..W.. Grand Secretary W. E. "Bill" Robertson Deputy Grand Secretary James H. May, PGM W.. Grand Lecturer William K. Rowden V.. R.. Grand Chaplain Andrew M. Anderson Jr W.. Grand Orator Craig L. Gross W.. Grand Marshal Donald E. Galyon Page 4 From the West Page 5 Compass or Compasses (Article) Page 6 Freemasonry: Down but not Out Birthdays August Natural Blanchard, Rodney Fogus, Steve Hooks, Thomas Slocum, Eric Taylor, Richard Yaiser, Timothy September Berry, Alan Bibars, Maen Chaney, Earl Cheatle, Scott Collier, Milton Donohue, Raymond Martin, Phillip Thourot, Frederick August Masonic Cottrell, Vern Crenshaw, Robert September Benavides, Tony Bibars, Maen Garner, Gregory Lindquist, Alex IV Mysak, Terrance Polston, James Wraight, Michael (Continued on page 6)
Upcoming Meetings P a g e 3 August 2012 COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN 02 Aug Official Visit: Perfect Ashlar #12 07 Aug Poker Run/Fall MFFN Planning 11 Aug Official Visit: Jerusalem DL #66 14 Aug Stated Meeting 21 Aug Degree Practice 28 Aug Long Range Planning Ritual Director WB Gene Scott 298-0920 WB Dan Tulloh Masonic Education WB Tim Yaser Candidates, Coaches, and Mentors WB Dean Millard Mason Of The Year Assigned by Lodge Master Long Range Plans WB Jerry Badinger Widows / Welfare / Assistance WB Paul Weathers WB Lee Harter September 2012 04 Sep Official Visit: Adobe #41 11 Sep Stated Meeting 18 Sep Degree Practice 25 Sep Long range Planning OFFICERS for 2012 WM Randy Jager, 405-6098 Randy@thejagers.com SW WB N. DeanMillard, 298-0765 drallimd@msn.com JW Mike Bravin, 777-3716, Bravin32@msn.com Sec. WB Timothy Yaiser, 661-3008 TYaiser@cox.net Treas. Robert Shrager, H-296-0709, C-449-4588, LBob130709@msn.com SD Leroy Smith, 762-8881, Leroy2741@yahoo.com JD Dave Bonnell, 331-2767, Sheldon12@cox.net Chaplain WB Lee Harter, 461-2033, LJH75sinosa@gmail.com SS Ray Donohue, 290-9802 / Cell: 203-3252 RMDonohue@cox.net JS WB Dan Tulloh, 370-4115, DWTulloh61@cox.net Marshal WB Frank Rice, 546-1312, FRice@microsoft com Tyler WB Paul Weathers, 290-6260, pwabble@cox.net Trustees: 3 year WB Roger Cousineau, 2 year Bro Russell Long, 1 year WB Bruce McLaughlin Annual Veterans Day Poker Run JW Mike Bravin SS Ray Donohue Spring Masonic Family and Friends Night WM Randy Jager SW Dean Millard Public Schools Bro Leroy Smith, Jr Masonic Communications WM Randy Jager Fall Masonic Family and Friends Night JW Mike Bravin WB Dan Tulloh Membership Committee WB Jerry Badinger Youth Groups WB N Dean Millard Dues & Relief WB Jerry Badinger 745-4307 Trestle Board Editor WB Jim Hewitt 721-4049 jlhewittsr@cox.net WEB Master WB Frank Rice Masonic Communications WM Randy Jager Public Relations WB Bruce McLaughlin SICKNESS and DISTRESS If you or your loved ones are stricken with an illness or distress or any other major concern, don t keep it inside, let us know about it. We may be limited in many cases to remembering you in our prayers. But I believe that the majority of us believe in the power of prayer so please let us be informed of your troubled times. Call WB Paul Weathers at (520) 290-6260 or Brother Ray Donohue at (520) 290-9802.
P a g e 4 From The West W.B. N Dean Millard Senior Warden B y the time you read this article, we will have held another of the "Long Range Planning" sessions that help define what the Lodge will be doing during the next year. Just to reiterate, this is NOT a meeting just for the officers of the Lodge! ALL MEMBERS of the Lodge from the youngest Entered Apprentice to the oldest of the Master Masons are invited and NEEDED to attend these planning sessions! This is the time when we decide as a Lodge how the Lodge will operate the next year. This is very much like the election of our political workers, if we don't vote, we have no right to complain. We have been very busy this year with Lodge visitations and other activities. There is another coming up on Sept. 22nd -- The 2nd annual Southeastern Arizona Outdoor Master Mason Degree. I have not had the opportunity to attend this Outdoor Degree before, but I have been assured that it will be a great deal of fun. If you need a copy of the registration form (It's good until Sept. 12th) you can contact either the Worshipful Master or myself and we will be more than happy to help you out. The registration cost is only $15.00. We are also beginning to plan for our own fall events. The fall Masonic Family and Friends Night will be on Saturday, October 27th and the Annual Poker Run will be held on Sunday, Nov. 11th. More specific information will come out later. As always, watch the web site for up to date information. Be certain to come out and help support the Lodge in any way that you can. These have always been a blast and they are good for the Lodge and the community! Please come out, you will be glad you did. We met with our honored widows this last weekend and enjoyed a wonderful meal with them at the Olive Garden Restaurant on Broadway Blvd. Not having had the privilege of having attended all of these luncheons, I was told that this last weekend was the largest turnout we have ever had. It was indeed very special! If you have the opportunity to attend one, just let WB Paul Weathers know that you are planning on attending and then come out and enjoy a very much appreciated time with our honored ladies, Dutch treat, of course. It was a truly magical time. Speaking of magical times, let us not forget that even though many of the things that we enjoy in the movies and on television are wonderful and magical events, we live in the real world and we must make things happen in a most un-magical way. This requires, probably more than anything, that we must devote at least some of our time to the Lodge and Lodge activities. Financial support is always required, but more than that, the Lodge requires your time and efforts to make it really successful. Please help whenever you can in any way you can. The Lodge needs you and your officers can really use your help! I will see all of you in Lodge soon. DEFINING OF COMPASS AND COMPASSES What s the difference? By WB Paul Weathers I n my search of curious Masonic words I had hoped to obtain a clarification and understanding of why some Masonic Jurisdictions use the singular as compass and others use the plural of compasses. Entries on the web try to justify this by saying that From the standpoint of the dictionary, these two (Continued on page 5)
P a g e 5 (Continued from page 4) words are with totally different meanings. It goes on to try to explain it this way, A COMPASS is a suspended magnet so balanced that it can turn on its pivot and orient itself with the north s magnetic pole and thus point out the true north. COMPASSES is the word used to describe that instrument which draws circles and/or measures small distances; sometimes COMPASSES are called dividers. Like trousers and scissors are always plural when meaning the instrument except in six Grand Lodges of the United States which use the word COMPASS in the way the neighbors use COMPASSES. COMPASS is formed from Latin com meaning with and passus meaning a step in other words, dividers. Masonically, it appears to be more a measuring than a drawing instrument, although referees to its Masonic use include circumscribe desires. But its position, open sixty degrees upon quadrant, as in the symbol of the Past Master, would seem to indicate that it s more as a divider than as an instrument to draw arcs of circles that is of importance Masonically. With the square it forms two of the three Great Lights of Masonry, and has become so universally cognized as a symbol of Freemasonry that courts have forbidden its use or its being copyrighted or trademarked for commercial purposes. This is a mouth full of wording which is somewhat contrary to what I ve found in several dictionaries, which defines the two words to have the same general interchangeable meanings as follows; 1. contrive, plot 2. encircle, encompass 3. bring about, achieve Or from another dictionary; 1. boundary, circumference 2. an enclosed space 3. range, scope 4. a device for determining direction by means of a magnetic needle swinging freely and pointing to the magnetic north. Also a nonmagnetic device that indicates direction. 5. An instrument for drawing circles or transferring measurements consisting of two legs joined by a pivot. The only definition of the word compasses I could find defined it as being the plural of compass. It s one of the Mason s working tools, adopting the plural spelling apparently to distinguish it from the magnetic or other directional devices; though it does serve us in certain ways, to direct our lives in the character of Freemasons. Therefore, until I get a better explanation or justification, I will have to surmise this difference to possibly be another of the strangely, if not truly unexplainable occurring Masonic Traditions rather than a single and specific reasoning; and we can rationalize that by using the visual Masonic concepts or using the symbolism of forming a boundary for our conduct in life is still a great reminder for us to live our daily lives within reasonable confines of what is right and wrong, in accordance with our individual religious beliefs and moral or mental consciences.
(Continued from page 2) important he is to the Lodge. W.. Grand Standard Bearer W.. Grand Sword Bearer W.. Grand Bible Bearer W.. Senior Grand Deacon W.. Junior Grand Deacon W.. Senior Grand Steward W.. Junior Grand Steward W.. Grand Pursuivant W.. Grand Organist W.. Grand Editor W.. Grand Tyler James B. Buehler William P. Herzig Charles V. Phemister III Robert W. Bradfield John A. Engstrom III Richard A. Hendrickson Scott A. Thomas Stephen E. England Carlos Rausch David H. Luebke, PGM Daniel M. Genchi P a g e 6 The first week of June found Oasis members on a visit to King Solomon s Lodge in Tombstone. As always, it was a fantastic evening of fellowship and information. The Lodge building in Tombstone is a stop that needs to be on every Arizona Mason s visit list. It is always fascinating to tour and learn about. On June 5 th Oasis hosted a Past Master s night and welcomed a new Fellow Craft, Julio Sanchez. What a fantastic night! Worshipful Brothers from many other Lodges were in attendance, and the ceremony was fantastic. The fellowship was most enjoyed by all in attendance, and it certainly made for a memorable ceremony and evening for Brother Julio s Degree. Oasis Lodge would like to thank all of the Worshipful Brothers that participated in the evening as well as the Brothers that turned out as side-liners for the event. There is nothing better than a large group of Brothers to help a candidate realize how Before the end of June, Oasis welcomed yet another FellowCraft into our Lodge. Brother Dee Webster received his Degree on June 26 th. This ceremony was performed by all Oasis Brothers. It is truly a special thing to be able see our Lodge Brethren perform ritual. As many of our Past Masters can tell you, there was a time (not too long ago) when the Lodge needed assistance to perform Degree ceremonies. No longer is that the case! In July, Oasis Brothers visited Oriental Lodge #20. This was certainly our longest travel for visitation this year, but it was certainly worth it! Our Oriental Brethren were very happy to have us and provided us with a wonderful evening of fellowship and hospitality. Oasis Lodge also hosted the second widows and senior couples luncheon of 2012. WB Paul Weathers does a fantastic job of planning these events, and this event was no exception. With over 20 guests in attendance, the Olive Garden restaurant certainly had their hands full. All of the guests had a wonderful time, and the event was truly a resounding success. Our Masonic widows appreciate these events and look forward to every one of them. Having Oasis members in attendance along with their family members makes the meal even more enjoyable. Brothers, as you can see, there continues to be a packed schedule of activities to participate in and attend at Oasis. If you have not been to Lodge in some time, give us a call. If you need a lift to Lodge, give us a call. If you need assistance or just a friendly voice to talk to, give us a call. I look forward to hearing from all of you and sitting in Lodge with you very soon! Freemasonry: Down But Not Out WB Frank Rice ne of the most troubling trends in the organization that I love is the decline of Freemasons in the United States. According to the Masonic Service Association (MSA) which started keeping records in 1924, the high point in Masonic membership in the US was 1959 at O 4,103,161, while the lowest point was 2010 at 1,373,453 (no records are available from the MSA after 2010 but we can only surmise that the numbers are lower). Participation in Masonic activities is in decline. Attendance is low or spotty in many lodges. A shortage of worthy (Continued on page 7)
P a g e 7 (Continued from page 6) and well-qualified candidates has inhibited the orderly flow of succession from chair to chair, thus forcing the "recycling" of Past Masters to keep the chairs filled. Freemasonry is going out not with a bang, but a whimper. So what are some of the reasons for this decline? There are any number of theories as to the reasons for this trend. Every fraternal organization, many religious denominations, service clubs, and community organizations are struggling with declining membership. Many say that young men of today take no interest in the affairs of their community. So the question is why aren't they involved? Why do they sit and watch the world go by, as passive consumers, but never working out what difference they could make? We have to accept the fact that the world is a different place than it was in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. If you live in a city or suburb, your 15-minute commute time to work is now 50 minutes if you re lucky. We spend more time going to and from work than ever before. Our current lifestyles often require that both spouses work. Family time is squeezed into the evenings and many times the children have their own school and club activities. The technology explosion has provided a source for entertainment and activities that competes with any organization requiring a time commitment. Additionally, joining is no longer fashionable. Since the World War II generation, volunteering (which is what we do when we join an organization) has become almost nonexistent. My generation, the Vietnam generation, resisted joining traditional mainstream organizations. Generally speaking, mine was a generation turned off by anyone over 35; to this group, any organization that embraced traditional values was distrusted. However, many years have passed but memberships continue to drop. So we have to conclude that the problem runs deeper than one generation. In short, change is the one constant. What have Freemasons done to keep pace with change? At one time, the Masonic fraternity's great strength was the variety in the age and experience of its members. Men from all stages and walks of life met together in harmony and friendship. But for several decades, the fraternity has failed to attract the next generation of young men, leaving many lodges with a membership skewed toward retired and older men. Given this fact, is it really so hard to understand why young men in their 20s and 30s do not see the value in joining the typical lodge full of men in their 70s and 80s? The connecting generation of men in their 40s and 50s are affected by the family and time constraints described earlier, leaving an ever widening gap between our existing members and the young men that the fraternity must attract in order to grow and prosper. It is vitally important to say that we need our seasoned brothers. They are the teachers and keepers of values, stories, and traditions, the backbone, and are indispensable to our craft. While continuing to honor and learn from our senior brothers, we also need to shift our focus to attracting new members to reinvigorate our order. Isn t it about time to be realistic about our membership numbers? The United States population has soared since World War II. At the same time, the Masonic membership population has dropped. This can only mean that we Masons have not kept pace with our changing lifestyles. For example, consider communications technology cell phone vs. landline; PC vs. typewriter; e-mail vs. regular mail. While these kinds of changes surround everyone living in a modern world, Freemasons still complain about any increase in dues or per capita. It is time to readjust our thinking and come to realize that both time and money are necessary factors in creating a quality organization. With that said, now is the time to take action to make our Lodges fun, interesting and meaningful. Surely we do not want to abandon our heritage, principles, or degrees, but we need to exercise our imagination and make Freemasonry more in-tune with the times. If we don t, it won t be long before we re sitting in a Lodge where the average age is 90 (and nobody will be able to make it up the stairs to the lodge room). Young men aren't joining because there isn't any reason for them too. Yes, they want to be part of something. But, for that, they can join a gym. Yes, there is the history and the traditions. But, for that, they can read about it online and be well educated. If we agree that we want younger guys, we need to excite them. Young men now have access to any information they want at their fingertips via the Internet...they were brought up that way, with constant stimulation, and because of that, they need to learn and do, not sit around the lodge telling war stories. In my opinion, the fact is that Freemasonry is not a very transparent or well-known organization. What people do know of it is how it is portrayed in popular media such as Dan Brown s book, The DaVinci Code, and the movie, National Treasure. If you surf the Internet, it is very easy to find any number of anti-masonic websites. In the 1950's and 1960's, I remember that local newspapers advertised lodge meeting times and places. There used to be local articles and pictures of the activities of the local lodges. As Masons we have taken our fraternity s identity for granted, and we have allowed the general public to forget how important we are to society. We must never forget that what we DO for each other, our lodges, and ourselves enriches the quality of life for our families and communities. When we do so little to promote ourselves, can you really blame someone for coming in with a wrong idea and then dropping out because it wasn't what they expected. The bottom line is that the public needs to know: Who are the Masons? How do we know them in our lives today? What do they offer for me and my family? Once we can provide meaningful answers to these questions, I believe that we will see an upswing in interest and, hopefully, in membership. So what can you do today to attract your successors?
P a g e 8 The cost is only $125 / Year and it can be prorated. Contact our treasurer, Bro Bob Shrager for more details. Oasis Masonic Lodge #52, F&AM 450 N, Pantano Rd. Tucson, AZ 85710 http://www.oasis52.org