Since my last writing for the “Bottom Line,” I have continued making surprise visits. All have worked out with some smoother than others. The brothers seem to enjoy watching their officers get in a sweat when I am announced.

I have completed nine out of my announced twenty six-district meetings. Attendance has been great, and the food has been very enjoyable. For kicks, I have been keeping a log of the various foods that I have been served. So far slaw has been served seven times, and green beans are close behind with five times. Barbecue leads the meats with four servings. At Traphill 483, there were around 115 Masons present. Eight actually sat in the preparation room. When I was escorted into the lodge room, I went in single file. The room was full to say the least. It has been great. I look forward to the next seventeen meetings and experiencing the warm fellowship that I have enjoyed.

As you know, we are in the middle of a hotly contested political season. Masonry prohibits talking about or getting involved in politics or religion when in a Masonic environment. They are forbidden by The Code and Masonic tradition. I recently had my concern posted on the Grand Lodge Facebook page because I was seeing messages being dispensed in official lodge communications or publications or utilizing lodge mailing lists. 

While Masonry encourages all Masons to take an active part in the election process, Freemasonry should never be drawn into partisan communications nor partisan communication into Freemasonry. All Masons are encouraged to be good, responsible citizens.

I continue to remind you of our charities. Please continue to support the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford and WhiteStone. Our children are the future of Masonry and of our country. We have an obligation to provide for our children who need assistance. The senior brothers and sisters who reside at WhiteStone also need our help. They are the ones who provided for us. They have worked hard in the quarries of life and now need our assistance. We have a duty to support both. This year the MHCO Homecoming Festival will be held on October 12–14. The Shriners have assured me that they will be out in large numbers. The parade on Saturday promises to be bigger than last year. On Friday night, Andrew Jackson 576 of Salisbury has agreed to cook two pots of their Brunswick Stew which will be available for sale Friday evening. There will be entertainment Friday evening, and a good time is assured for all. On Saturday, we will have the parade as well as the barbecue cook off and more entertainment. Please arrange to join us in Oxford for this exciting weekend.

WhiteStone is 99 years old and is actively planning for its 100th birthday in 2013. Forty-six independent living one- and two- bedrooms are nearing completion and will soon be available for move in. The residents and staff are excited about these additions to the campus.

The long awaited Funeral Manual has been sent to the printer and should be available in the near future. This manual is not to replace the existing funeral program, but to expand and clarify the various situations in which we find ourselves when providing for our deceased brothers last wishes. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with it.

During my district meetings, I have been encouraging those in attendance to start working on NPDs, those members who have let their membership lapse by not paying their dues. Now is the time to make individual contact with those who have not paid their 2012 dues. Please make visits to these brothers, explain to them that we need them, we want their attendance and participation in our lodge. I believe that if we work with these brothers, most of them will be returned to active participation in the lodge. Those excluded in the last two years do not have to be re-balloted on, they pay what they owed at time of NPD, the current years dues and just come back in. Remember, in that unfortunate situation where a NPD former member is called “To that house not made with hands…” he cannot have a Masonic funeral.

Later this year the Grand Lodge of AF & AM of North Carolina will turn 225 years old. I have appointed a celebration committee to plan and coordinate the activities. They are hard at work and have scheduled the actual celebration for Saturday, November 3, 2012. Please make note of this date. More information will be forthcoming.

Again, thank you for giving me the privilege of serving as your grand master. It is the greatest honor that you could bestow on me. I will always cherish this opportunity.

In closing, something to ponder:

Persistence

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved, always will solve, the problems of the human race.