electronicNCMason July/August, 1995 vol. 3 no. 4 The stripped-down, online version of the real thing The North Carolina Mason Volume CXX -- No. 4 Published every other month, The North Carolina Mason is the official publication of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, AF&AM. Board of Publication -- Carroll Simmons, chairman; Michael W. Brantley, B. Wesley Lefler Jr., Dalton W. Mayo, and Bunn T. Phillips Jr. EDITOR -- Ric Carter 126 Arbor Drive Washington, NC 27889 (919) 946-8039 RicC@aol.com Reproduction of articles by recognized Masonic organizations is permitted with credits. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Grand Lodge or Board of Publication. Please feel free to pass The eNCMason along to others. Any suggestions or submissions you might have are welcomed. 12,000 ENJOY MASONIC CELEBRATION IN OXFORD Oxford -- Can you give a Masonic celebration and get 12,000 people to turn out? You bet! That's how many flocked to the campus of the Masonic Home for Children on June 24 for the annual celebration of St. John's Day. Weather made the usual threats the night before the festival. But, as old hands know, that's just Mother Nature cleaning the streets for the parade. Saturday morning's clouds quickly gave way to a sunny view. Almost everything was in place by 8:30 Saturday morning. There were tents with souvenirs, crafts, and snacks. There was that festival necessity -- a place for kids to get their faces painted. Everything started at 9:45 a.m. just as scheduled. That's when celebration committee chairman Lloyd Young welcomed the crowd, held the usual opening ceremonies, and introduced the Masonic Home Choir. Moments later, the parade left downtown Oxford and headed up College Street toward the Home. Town residents along the route had chairs and friends fill their front yards. People lined the streets several deep all the way to campus. Masonic dignitaries and honored guests waved from convertibles at the head of the procession. A contingent of the York Rite's Knights Templar, looking like so many admirals, marched together. Behind them the real fun began. Parade units from Amran, Oasis, and Sudan Shrine temples poured through town for more than an hour. Over 100 groups from all over North Carolina presented their hobbies to the town and guests. There were more clowns than anyone can tell, enough men in animal costumes to open a zoo, and so many hillbillies a bus load of revenuers would have quit and gone home. There were classic cars, beach buggies, motorcycles, tiny trucks, and stunt drivers on ATVs, go-carts, and land-roving boats. Bands and choirs rolled by. There was even a Ferris wheel on wheels. For more than an hour attractions passed by. Then came another of the day's main attractions -- fried chicken. Shrine cooking crews had been at work since before light getting ready to feed the crowd. With lots of rows for the hungry to follow, serving 12,000 went surprisingly quickly. There was plenty of shade to cover the lunch crowd. During lunch sky divers dropped in, making a well placed and sanitary landing in the pasture. One new attraction was offered. A couple got married in the York Rite Chapel on campus at high noon. We don't expect that one to become a regular feature. Homeland, a gospel quartet, hit the stage at noon to sing the crowd through lunch. By one o'clock, lunch was finished and Connie Smith was performing for a comfortably full audience. She was followed by Jim Ed Brown. Those up front danced, sang along, and cheered through wide grins. It was also a good time to shop around the tents, grab a balloon for a kid, stretch out for a serenaded nap, or talk with old friends. Slowly, as the afternoon went on, small groups could be seen, chairs folded under arm, quilt carried over the shoulder, headed for the exits. Smiles were evident and feet were weary. If you missed the celebration this year, you can count on another chance next year. See you then. NOTES FROM THE SCENE Selena MacCauley and Gemma Conner are both exchange students from strife-torn Belfast, Northern Ireland. One's Protestant and the other Catholic. They got together at our celebration. You don't have to be a Mason to meet "on the level." Joshua wanted to know why he couldn't ride in the parade, but his grandfather, Charles Cathey, could. "Because he's a grand lodge officer," was Grandma's reply. Joshua was quick to reply that he was a "grand son." Not having a ready answer, a Masonic Grand Son T-shirt was made and Joshua got to ride with Granddad. As I was moving down the parade route taking pictures, one little girl reached up excitedly and shook my hand as I rushed by. Kitty says that with all the hillbillies, clowns, and costumed creatures running around, it was an understandable mistake. One bobtailed mini-truck didn't make it to the parade. It blew up during fun time at the Ramada Friday night. Its owner took the NASCAR outlook. "That's part of the fun. I'll rebuild her this week, and be back to race again next weekend." JERRY R. TILLETT, NEW JUNIOR GRAND STEWARD, INTRODUCED Jerry Reginald Tillett, our new junior grand steward, is a lifelong resident of Manteo. He was born December 22, 1957, to Willett R. and Jeanine Daniels Tillett. He and Tanya Umphlett, his wife of 16 years, have two children: 15-year-old Jeremy Ryan and Ara Lynn, eight years old. Tillett was initiated by Manteo 521 in May 1982. He was raised in June of that year. He was coached by his father, Willett Tillett. Willett passed away in 1990 while serving as North Carolina's senior grand warden. Jerry was master of Manteo 521 in 1989. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and a member of Oasis Temple of the Shrine. He got an associate's degree in English from College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City before attending Wake Forest University. He graduated Cum Laude with degrees in history and political science in 1980. He then studied at the Wake Forest University School of Law, getting his Juris Doctor in 1983. During his law school career he received several honors, among them three American Jurisprudence Awards and a Corpus Juris Secundum Award for Excellence in Legal Scholarship. Tillett attends Manteo Baptist Church. He is a member of the American, North Carolina, and Dare County bar associations and the NC Academy of Trial Lawyers. He was president of the Dare County Bar Association 1987--1992. He served on numerous boards and committees of professional organizations. He worked as an associate attorney with Leonard Logan Jr. in Manteo after school. He became a partner in Merrell, Tillett and Barnes in Nags Head in 1985. He was appointed special superior court judge in November 1992 and resident superior court judge six months later. In November 1994 he was elected, and currently serves as resident superior court judge. He is also legal counsel and liaison to NC Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight. GRAND LODGE ANNOUNCES NEW VIDEO If you have trouble answering when someone asks you about Freemasonry, help has arrived. The Committee on Masonic Ceremonies and Miscellaneous Publications unveiled their 12-minute video introduction to North Carolina Masonry at Annual Communication in April. Freemasonry, A Fraternity for Life is now available to anyone. Each lodge in the state has already been sent a copy. You can get your own for just $15 (postage and handling included). Order from Grand Lodge of AF & AM of North Carolina, P.O. Box 6506, Raleigh, NC 27628. Don't let this tool lie idle on a shelf at lodge. The video is intended for general circulation. Get a couple of copies. Give a copy to your local public library. Use it as a program for church groups or other civic clubs. When a friend asks about Masonry, offer the tape and tell him what you can. Send a copy home with new candidates. Get this great tool now and put it to work in your community. OPEN YOUR SCHEDULE NOW FOR THE M.E.S.H. OPEN It's time for you to start planning for the Eighth Annual MESH Golf Tournament. The tournament returns to its older format this year, making it easier for you to join the fun. Six area tournaments will be played October 6 (rain date October 13). The top teams from each of these competitions will go to the state playoffs October 21 in Winston-Salem. All money raised goes to the Masonic and Eastern Star Home in Greensboro. Playing in the area tournament will cost you $55. That includes green fee, cart fee, on-course snack, and the awards luncheon. It also gives you a shot at the state playoff. The format is superball (captain's choice) with a 9:00 a.m. shotgun start. If you want to participate, but aren't a golfer, you may help by buying a listing in the program. Sponsorship prices range from one dollar for a mention to $200 for a full page ad. Sponsorships are tax deductible. These ads provide the bulk of the income from the tournament. You might advertise a business, wish a friend luck in the tournament, or memorialize a friend. It is not necessary that sponsors be affiliated with the Craft or Eastern Star. More than 250 golfers converged on Greensboro for last year's open. More than $57,000 was raised for the Masonic and Eastern Star Home. Expectations are for an even bigger and better result in 1995. If last year's event was too much of a drive for you, there's something happening closer to home this year. Contact the chairman in the area you wish to play. Your area tournament is not based on your address -- play anywhere that suits you. The area chairmen have all the information you need for playing or sponsorship. They are: Edenton Bill Goodman (919) 482-2462 Wilmington Al Simeone (910) 452-0429 Dunn Earl Eason (910) 892-5004 Kernersville Charles Lingelfelt (910) 993-2672 Charlotte Bill Stegall (704) 596-9583 Candler Lavaun Taylor (704) 667-4068 You may also contact Gwen Oakley, Grand Secretary, Grand Chapter of North Carolina, P.O. Box 1398, Mooresville, NC 28115-1398. FORSYTH 707 SCHEDULES MOUNTAIN DEGREE Saturday, August 24 is the day Winston-Salem Masons head for the hills. That's when Forsyth 707 holds its 14th Annual Mountain Degree. Bill Carpenter's farm between Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock will again be the site. Dinner will follow the 3:00 p.m. Master Mason degree. You're invited to join them. This year's outdoor event features a uniformed team of North Carolina State Highway Patrolmen led by Mike Overcash. Forsyth Master Leonard E. Hill Jr. recommends that you arrive at least an hour before the opening and that you bring a folding chair. A cap or umbrella to shade yourself is also a good idea. Dinner is six dollars per plate. Hill asks that lodge secretaries order all tickets for their members at one time. Directions will be sent to your lodge along with the tickets. For more information contact Forsyth 707, 215 Stanton Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106, (910) 768-6787. Profits from the gathering will go to the North Carolina Masonic Foundation. In case of bad weather, the degree will be held September 6. LECTURER RECERTIFICATION SCHEDULED Certified lecturers who are due to renew their proficiency this year will stand exams in September. The schedule is contingent on a minimum of six applicants in a region. Area I September 18 Area II September 19 Area III September 20 Area IV September 21 Area V September 22 If you are seeking certification for the first time, or you need reexamination and haven't gotten your notification, you may get further instructions by writing J. Luigi Ammons, 3701 Buffaloe Road, Raleigh, NC 27604. Deadline for application is August 15. FROM THE GRAND MASTER BY CLIFTON W. EVERETT JR. MAKE MASONRY MEANINGFUL This is my very first official print message to you since my installation as your grand master on April 19, 1995. Annual Communication was quite an experience for me this year. Being elected Grand Master of North Carolina is a once in a lifetime event (at least in the modern era). It brings with it the responsibility of directing the operations of the Craft in all the various committees, the Grand Lodge office, the Homes in Oxford and Greensboro, the Foundation, the relationships with our appendant bodies, and the supervision of the work of the 386 blue lodges across this grand jurisdiction. If an individual did not have anything else to do all year long but the duties outlined above, he would indeed be a busy man. Fortunately, I have many good Brethren all across North Carolina who have agreed to serve on the various committees and boards. They will report to me on the work being done this year. With their help, I know we will have a most productive Masonic year. From the bottom of my heart, Brethren, I want to thank you for the faith and confidence you have shown me in electing me your Grand Master. I promise you that I will do all in my power to see that Masonry in North Carolina moves forward during my year. A free flow of information between the Grand Lodge officers and the Craft will set the tone for a better working relationship among us all. By the time you read this message, I will already have completed approximately one-third my area meetings. I have adopted as my theme this year "MAKE MASONRY MEANINGFUL." More will be said about that in the area meetings. I hope each of you will make an effort to attend the meeting nearest you. These meetings are spaced around the state so that no Mason will have to travel an undue distance. I have decided to make my remarks in an informal setting without having a tiled lodge. I want those in attendance to be able to ask any questions about the Grand Lodge and its operation as well as any other matters affecting the craft. I have tried to tailor my remarks to address those matters I feel are important to the Craft as a whole. We all need to address them before the next Grand Lodge Annual Communication. These matters include the expansion and funding of the Care Center at the Masonic and Eastern Star Home, as well as a proposed increase in the per capita tax. The Craft needs to be fully informed so that everyone will be in a position to make an informed vote. I hope you will approve of my concept for these area meetings. FROM THE MASONIC AND EASTERN STAR HOME JOHN ROSE, ADMINISTRATOR LUNCHING THE FLAGSHIP As your new Administrator, I continue to be impressed with the potential for your Masonic and Eastern Star Home. For over a decade your Directors have discussed the need for the Home to focus upon the future and bring about positive change. I am convinced that one day, with your support, it will become the stellar "Home" it ought to be. Technology has found its way into every walk of life. In June, I was honored to speak to the members of Henderson Lodge. Brother Mike Haskins, a member of that Lodge and a houseparent at the Masonic Home for Children, was my host. Mike drove me to the meeting and on the way we stopped at a convenience store. We made a small purchase and the clerk passed our product over a laser machine that read an encoded message, rang up the product, deducted it from the store's inventory, printed a receipt, and told the clerk how much change to return. Then Mike stopped at a 24-hour teller where he used his bank card to withdraw some money. Just before arriving at Lodge, Brother Mike made a telephone call on his cellular telephone. Yes, technology follows us everywhere. Our industry of providing a home for senior citizens is also affected by new knowledge. "Aging in Place" is an emerging theme. Skilled nursing services are supported, in large part, by technological advances. We know more about older people today in an age when they live longer than ever before. Care of the elderly is no longer an imprecise science. Senior citizens of yesterday were content with a radio. Today we want telephones, microwaves, and televisions. Tomorrow's senior citizens may need lap top computers, a fax, and modem connections to the Internet. In much the same way, our aging buildings need to come up to the standards of today. Once we have achieved this, we will not only be providing a state-of-the-art home, but the Home can then operate more efficiently and effectively. Your Home differs from a charity. It is more an obligation. Our residents are the very people you swore, as Masons, to relieve so far as you could do so. The Home also differs from a strict charity in that approximately 36% of the operating income is from the residents themselves. The residents cannot pay for the improvements that are needed. The operating budget of your Home is now straining to keep pace with the demands of the current day. To what extent should one participate? We have heard that, "God loves the cheerful giver." I believe that God also needs the "casual" giver. By casual, I mean the full participation of every Masonic family to a small extent. David Grissom is the administrator of the Masonic Home for Children. He and I try to eat lunch together once a month. We meet at a local restaurant midway between the two Homes. There we discuss the challenges that confront us both as administrators. We usually haggle over who has the honor of paying for the other's lunch; about $8.00 including drink, tax, and tip. We discussed this "honor" and considered that if every Mason in North Carolina would take either Home to an $8.00 lunch once a month, the Homes would share over six million dollars annually. This would go a long way toward the operating budgets of your Homes. There are, of course, some who cannot afford to participate to this extent. There are others who, for some reason, have chosen not to participate. It is here that the major donors swing into action. Every significant endeavor in history has had those who did more than their share. We too have, and sincerely need, such men and women in the Masonic Lodges and the Eastern Star Chapters and you are particularly appreciated. Although the Masonic fraternity is more than its Homes alone, every fleet should have a flagship. Will you let the Masonic Homes be your flagship? If you have not already participated in your Homes to this small extent, and you can do so, please consider taking the Home to an $8.00 lunch once a month. Soon you'll be having lunch on Masonry's Flagship. No one can eat from an empty plate. When we see a flood of $8.00 checks coming across our desks, we'll know the message is getting about. Thank you for your support and may God bless your every effort. UNDER THE OAKS DAVID GRISSOM, ADMINSTRATOR, MASONIC HOME FOR CHILDREN GOODBYE TO OUR SENIORS This time of year, it is important to introduce to you, our Masons across the state, the seniors from the Masonic Home For Children at Oxford. On June 3, these six seniors made a great accomplishment by graduating from J.F. Webb High School in Oxford. I know you join our entire campus family in wishing our graduates congratulations and best wishes. Each of the seniors wanted to write to you, our supportive Masons, a note of thanks for the assistance you have provided them while they have been a part of our family. Your continued support, Brethren, is vital and we thank you for helping these six of our 150 students reach a wonderful goal in their lives. Dear N.C. Masons, I would like to extend a very big thank you! You have supported me for the last 2 1/2 years. You have also been my backbone for the last 2 1/2 years. The experiences that I learned I will take with me into the world and apply them to my everyday living. I would like to extend a special thank you to Hiram 40 for sponsoring me. Thank you for everything that you have done. I would like to say thank you to Creedmoor 499 for their special interest. I would also like to send another special thank you to Henderson 229 for their special interest. In my future, I plan to attend Vance-Granville Community College and live at Independent Living. I would like to become a surgical nurse. I hope that one day I may be able to further my education and become a Doctor of Surgery. I cannot say thank you enough for the doors of opportunity that every Mason has opened for me. May God bless each and every one of you. With Sincere Thanks, Eric D. Austin Hiram 40, Sponsor Dear N.C. Masons, My name is Christy Harris and I am a student of the Masonic Home for Children. This is my senior year of high school. I would like to take this time to thank you for all of the support and happiness I have found at the Masonic Home for Children. I hope many more children have the experience of being blessed with a loving home and family. Sincerely, Christy Harris Winston 167, Sponsor Dear N.C. Masons, My name is Sherry Harris. I am 19 years old. I have two sisters, Christy and Tonya Harris. Tonya graduated in 1991 and Christy is graduating with me. I plan to attend the Independent Living Program and attend VGCC. There I plan to be a Teachers Assistant or Cosmetologist. This is just a little thank you for the eight years of your love and support for all the children of MHC. Thank you, Sherry Harris Winston 167, Sponsor Dear N.C. Masons, My name is Stephanie Huskey. I am 18 years old. I have two younger brothers who live with my parents in Forest City. After graduation I plan to go to Independent Living and go the VanceGranville. I also want to become a kindergarten teacher. I would like to thank each and every Mason who have helped me over the past year. Without you I wouldn't be graduating this year. I will never be able to express my gratitude for every thing you've done. Sincerely, Stephanie Huskey Cliffside 460, Sponsor Dear N.C. Masons, I would like to thank you for all you have done for me in the past five years. The Orphanage has been a good experience for me and if it were not for you I would not be here. I would also like to thank Fort Bragg Lodge for sponsoring me to come to the home. I will miss it dearly when I leave. Once again thank you for giving me the chance at a great life. God Bless you all! Love, Tanya M. Oakes Fort Bragg 667, Sponsor Dear Masons of N.C., I would just like to take the time to say thank you so very much for everything you have done for me and all the children of the Masonic Home for Children. I know for sure that without your help my graduation would not be happening, and many others agree with me when I say that. I would especially like to thank Granite 171 for all their support. To tell you a little about myself, my name is Heather Williams and I am 18 years old. I have lived at the Home for three years and I have one sister, Tiffany, who is in the sixth grade at the home. I am coeditor of the newspaper Campus Tracks and I was crowned Homecoming Queen 1994. After graduation I plan to attend Vance-Granville Community College and study Early Childhood Education. I hope to one day own my own day care center. Thank you again, and I hope your love and support continues for all the children, so they will have the opportunity to be successful in life, as I hope I will be. Thank You, Heather Williams Granite 191, Sponsor SOME BIRTHDAYS OF RESIDENTS OF THE HOME FOR CHILDREN August 1, 1989 Timothy James King August 3, 1979 Christina Marie Adkins August 6, 1988 Sadie Elizabeth Hardin August 7, 1983 Stacey Louann Williams August 7, 1983 Stephanie Daun Williams August 8, 1983 Barbara Deana Lawson August 10, 1991 David Dakota Quick August 15, 1981 Theresa Lynn Konwerski August 16, 1987 Michael Phillip Dunlow August 16, 1979 Lisa Marie Weary August 20, 1987 Christina Nicole Hardin August 25, 1981 Timothy Allen Burnsfield August 27, 1979 Crystal Gail Lawrence August 27, 1973 Wendy Elizabeth Cox August 29, 1985 Michael Floyd Hardin II August 29, 1985 Jennifer Amanda Slemp September 5, 1988 Kimberly Lynn Smith September 14, 1985 Elizabeth Duree Quick September 15, 1981 Richard Dale Reeves September 16, 1987 Waylon Lee Byrd September 17, 1981 William Ricky Smith Jr. September 18, 1987 Jerry Van Stevens Jr. September 23, 1990 Donna Ann Lucas September 25, 1979 Heather Marie Weatherly September 26, 1977 Melissa Hope Langley September 27, 1980 Samantha Gail Hon September 28, 1978 Patricia Jean Whitehurst FROM THE FOUNDATION JIM MEDLIN, DIRECTOR A PERSONAL CHALLENGE As I travel across the state visiting lodges I am distressed by the few number of Masons attending lodge. I keep hearing that, "There is nothing to be worried or concerned about regarding our attendance record; understand that if you have approximately 15% to 20% in attendance, then your lodge is about average." Who defines average--does it mean common, general, normal, ordinary, typical, fair, mediocre, passable, tolerable? What is your definition of average? Are Masons the average of society? Are our lodges the average of our communities? In 1959 we were the strongest and largest in numbers in the United States with 4,103,161 in our midst. By 1993 we had divided that number almost in half, 2,393,949. And, the statisticians predict that by the year 2000 we will cut that figure in half and by the year 2010 we will slash that figure in half again! Are we not builders? And if we are builders, how can our numbers be falling down! My intent here is to challenge you. I don't think anyone will argue that just attending lodge will make you a better Mason. Nor, will having large numbers at lodge meetings render the lodge a better lodge. So what's the point? Take a moment and ask yourself these questions: what did your lodge have in membership and attendance 20 years ago? What will your lodge have in membership and attendance 20 years into the future? Are we not builders? In 1913 Most Worshipful F. M. Winchester said before the Grand Lodge: "...But Freemasonry has demonstrated that there is a rule of life which men are capable of attaining, so broad, so just, so free, that all men may live under it if they choose to do so. We have no criminal code; our greatest penalty is exclusion, and our safeguard is that men must voluntarily seek us. "The secret is not in the ritual; should we publish it all to the world, they would not comprehend it. A Mason may take all the degrees of the ancient Craft, become a member of the Royal Arch, one of the Knights Templar, attain the Thirty-Second Degree of the Scottish Rite, and yet never comprehend. "He must establish its teachings as a rule of life--not only feel that it is true and right, not approve of it by sentiment only, but it must become a part of his own character; he must live to it. So far as he absorbs the precepts, only so far does he become a Mason. Yes, it modifies the ideals of human justice; it asserts itself in the midst of war and carnage; in the struggles of wealth and power; we feel its inspiration in the act of the Samaritan, and the impulse in the act of sacrifice..." Let's start today by visiting our Brethren whom we don't see in lodge. Let's invite one another to lodge; and if there is a brother who needs assistance in coming to lodge, let's determine how best we can help him accomplish his objective! In short, let's "Launch the Craft" and get our lodges active with members and fulfilling our obligations. A FAMILY AFFAIR AT SEASIDE 429 Swansboro -- We sometimes see a succession of family members joining the Craft. A son follows a father who followed a grandfather. Multiple generations being raised together are more unusual. Family pride must have been at an all time high recently when Seaside 429 raised three relatives at the same time. Edgar Harrell Smith was joined by his son Stephen Harrell Smith and his son-in-law David Jospeh Gillis at a triple raising. Both Stephen and David were wounded in the line of military service, Stephen in Vietnam and David in Desert Storm. Edgar was luckier. LODGE VISITORS ATTEND WEDDING Brevard -- Judge Donna Robinson appreciated that fact that she was "in the East in charge of things" in a Masonic lodge. The ritual was one you won't find in the OSW -- she was marrying Dunns Rock 267 Secretary T.J. Conner and Regina Morgan. Masons and non-Masons alike were in attendance for the ceremony and the downstairs reception that followed. Although we wouldn't recommend it as a regular form of open house, it did make quite a piece of publicity what with the wedding-decorated pickup truck in front of the lodge. Good luck, you guys. SONOMA 472 PRESENTS CANTER AWARD Canton -- A couple of times each year, Sonoma 472 presents the Scotty Canter Award for Sportsmanship to a kid in the Bethel Youth Organization's athletic program. Steven Moore, son of Carl and Glee Moore, was the basketball winner this year. The award is in the memory of the son of Sonoma Chaplain Gene Canter. Left to right are Carl, Steven, and Glee Moore, and Sonoma Master J.D. Oliver. JOBS DAUGHTERS DONATE TO FOUDATION Raleigh -- Bethel 2 of International Order of Job's Daughters sent a check to our Annual Communication. They donated $250 to the Masonic Foundation. Emily Deans, honored queen of Bethel 2, presented the check to then Grand Master Bill Brunk. Job's Daughters is a Masonic Youth Organization for girls 11 to 20 years old. A regional grand council is currently being formed to promote and expand the order in North and South Carolina. Maybe you can help. GRISSOM TAKES UP RADIO AT PERSON 113 FISH FRY Roxboro -- David Grissom did his share of promoting Person 113's recent fish fry by making a guest appearance on a local radio station. They sold more than 1,400 pounds of fish this year. We're trying to convince Grissom that it's the past reputation of Person's Fish Fry that brought out the crowd, not just his star appeal. The world doesn't need another talk show. KRAUS VISITS FAR WEST Honolulu, Hawaii -- Calling the mountains of North Carolina home, Bob Kraus of Junaluskee 145 finds it natural to head west or uphill. So when he visited Hawaii in January and did some lodge visiting, he attended Kauai Lodge in Lihue, the westernmost lodge in the United States. He couldn't help it. He also got to fill in as junior deacon at Maui Lodge. He terms the work as "reminiscent of Georgia ritual." But, you can never completely escape North Carolina. When he visited Honolulu Lodge he found John Nickerson the master. Nickerson is the son of NC Mason Gen. Herman Nickerson of Jacksonville. TRAVELERS OF THE TAR HEEL STATE NEWS FROM OUR BLUE LODGES PAW CREEK -- West Gate 738 was to sponsor a Red Cross blood drive in June. They urged members to invite local churches and other organizations to participate. Their chicken fry for this year made close to $5,500 for Masonic charities. They may have a couple of lodge caps left. They sell for ten dollars. They carry a square and compasses and the name of the lodge. -- West Gate Lodge. * * * * WILMINGTON -- The parking lot at Wilmington 319 was recently resurfaced. Part of the thanks go to the members of Wilmington Chapter 357 of the Eastern Star who recently closed their chapter. They donated $500 to the cause. Wilmington 319 has voted to increase dues from $35 to $45 as of January 1996. The hot dog stand was a hit at their annual yard sale. Masonic charities are $1,100 richer thanks to the effort. -- The Wilmington Mason. St. John's 1 has a new mailing address. From now on use 4712 Oriole Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403. -- The Trestle Board. * * * * HICKORY -- The Red Cross picked up 33 pints of blood during a spring Bloodmobile at Hickory 343. -- Hickory Lodge. * * * * BLACK MOUNTAIN -- The second degree lecture is old hat for Jack E. Cordell of Black Mountain 663. He learned it even before he reached the third degree himself. Shortly after delivering a Fellow Craft lecture in March, Jack was brought to the altar. There he was surprised with a life membership in the lodge. He was also given a plaque from the many candidates he coached over the years. Black Mountain recently presented Frank Deese his Veteran's emblem. Frank lives in Black Mountain and is a member of Wake Forest 282. They're also doing some looking because of hearing. Hearing gives way with time, so they want to help older members along with a public address system for the lodge. Can you help? They've also had a wheel chair and walker donated to the lodge and are looking for members who may need to borrow one. -- Black Mountain Lodge. * * * * BURLINGTON -- Burlington 721 was to vote on a dues increase in May. -- The Trestle Board. * * * * ASHEBORO -- New is a central theme at Asheboro 699 right now. They have a new computer, a new copier, a new cooking system, and a new four-by-eight-foot sign on the front of the building. -- Asheboro Lodge. * * * * GASTONIA -- There's an updated lodge roster available for members at King Solomon 704. -- The Plumb Line. Gastonia 369 voted to buy The Scrivener lodge software to track lodge business. Ross Glenn Owen recently got his 50-year award. -- The Trestle Board. * * * * SALISBURY -- Ham, chicken, and country-fried steak were featured at the Third Annual Homecoming of Andrew Jackson 576 in April. They held the peach cobbler and ice cream hostage until after the meeting. Fun was again the order of business when they travelled to Ellis Park to have their Annual Family Picnic. They had hot dogs, hamburgers, and barbecued chicken to eat. They had a volleyball court and baseball field to work the menu off their waistlines. They invited non-Masonic families and friends. -- The Master's Journal. * * * * GARNER -- Jerry Boone recently put a top quality cleaning on the tyler's sword at Vandora 745. That got members interested in the sword's history, of which they know nothing. Any answers out there? -- Masonic Newsletter. * * * * TRYON -- The Polk County lodges (Saluda 482, Jeff L. Nelson 605, and Horse Creek 719) will converge on Harmon Field in July for a family picnic. Games are also promised. -- Joppa Lodge. * * * * FOREST CITY -- They packed the house for a March Master Mason Degree at Forest City 381. They had a fish fry between sections of the work. Reports say all regular and temporary seats were full and that the steps around the wardens and master were also covered. -- Joppa Lodge. * * * * DENVER -- The Lincoln County Health Department termed the turnout "excellent" for the immunization clinic supported by Denver 757. OES Chapter 367 served refreshments and lodge members directed traffic and provided baby sitting. The Health Department asked them to help again in September. Denver is selling lodge baseball caps for eight dollars. Profits go to Masonic charities. Since it's a good cause, one Brother upped the ante by paying $100 for his. Jacob Ray Abernathy has been made an honorary member of Denver Lodge. He is from Riverside 606 in Catawba and a past 53rd DDGM. -- The Trestleboard. * * * * SMITHFIELD -- Fellowship 84 took Easter lilies to the 52 lodge widows living in the county. They sent cards to the others. The Trestleboard called the response "most gratifying." They are doing this instead of their old custom of sending Christmas flowers. They hope it will spread their attentions more evenly through the year. Some years ago Gordon Howell salvaged some panelling from Fellowship's old lodge room. He used the wood and the old nails to make memento plaques that he's donated to the lodge. They're selling these souvenirs to members for five dollars. Proceeds will go toward replacing furniture in their foyer. -- The Trestleboard * * * * LAURINBURG -- Fifth Tuesdays are Family Night at Laurinburg 305. They started last year and attendance is growing. Non-Masons, family, and members of other lodges are welcomed to the programs. May's edition featured Jim Morgan Jr. -- "minister, musician, songwriter, and great storyteller." He followed a hamburger and hot dog supper. Their Ham Breakfast fund raiser was scheduled for late May. It's their major annual project for the Masonic Homes. -- The Masonic Messenger. * * * * ABERDEEN -- Last year, then Roman Eagle 550 Master Jesse Joyce started a major project. They would replace all the lodge room furniture. They've almost finished the job. They've put in 12 officer chairs, 45 member chairs, an altar, desks or stands for officers, a speaker's stand, gavels, and warden's columns. They raised almost $10,000 in contributions. What's missing are globes suitable for the pillar tops. If you've got an idea, let Vivian Greene know about it. He's at P.O. Box 681, Aberdeen, NC 28315, or (910) 944-2582. * * * * WINSTON-SALEM -- The new amplifier at Old Town 751 is making it much easier to hear in the lodge. Their newsletter says "at times it seems we can even hear the thoughts of the Master." I think most masters wouldn't think that such a great idea. -- On The Level at Old Town Lodge. * * * * SELMA -- At Selma 320, they're putting in a storage building recently donated to the lodge. Donations for two other projects are being solicited: buying a lawn mower and putting vinyl siding on the building. -- On The Square. The 27th District held a meeting at Selma 320 in May to firm up a district degree team. -- The Shamrock. * * * * WASHINGTON -- Goose Creek State Park Superintendent Martha Woods presented a nature program and joined the lodge for lunch when Washington 675 held their annual Family Picnic at the park. -- Light From the East. * * * * JACKSONVILLE -- Semper Fidelis 680 was to host a district meeting in late June. Ninth Masonic District Scholarship winners were to be presented. Semper Fi also hosted a Father/Son/Grandson Breakfast in June. -- Semper Fidelis Lodge. * * * * ROANOKE RAPIDS -- Widow's Son 519 recently did some fraternal work for our Brothers in Ohio. They took Larry Willis through all three degrees for Willoughby 302 in Willoughby, Ohio. * * * * KING -- J. Worth Gentry was awarded life membership in King 722 last May. He's done much work for the lodge, especially in its early years. -- King Lodge News. * * * * WILKESBORO -- Liberty 45 decided to replace their fence. But, the yard looked so dang good when they took down the old one that they decided to go with the wide open spaces. They saved a few bucks, too. Mount Pleasant 573 made a couple of presentations at their May Open House. John Cranor got an honorary membership. Jonsie Walsh was given a Certificate of Appreciation for her years of work for the Lodge and local OES. -- Liberty at Large. * * * * CHARLOTTE -- Turnout is usually light during summer vacation season, so Keystone 726 is considering going dark in August. Candidates or their coaches could still get the group rounded up for degree work. -- Keystone Lodge. * * * * THOMASVILLE -- A couple of 50-Year Awards have been handed out by Thomasville 214. The first went to one of their own, Raymond A. Rothrock. The other was to Robert H. Burns on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. -- Trestle Board. * * * * RALEIGH -- Millbrook 97 hosts a St. John's Day Breakfast each year. They hold it on the Sunday morning after the gathering at Oxford. -- Millbrook Messenger. The crud in the gutters and the honeysuckle on the fence suffered during a workday held this spring at James B. Green 735. The next edition should result in new bookshelves that will allow several boxes in back rooms of the lodge to be emptied. -- James B. Green Lodge. * * * * GOLDSBORO -- According to the Newsletter of Goldsboro 634, 17 kids got their shots at a recent Masonic immunization clinic in Goldsboro. -- Newsletter. * * * * MANTEO -- All 17 windows at Manteo 521 have been replaced with more efficient ones. The windows are said to look great, but their real appeal is efficiency. A winter meeting right after the installation found a comfortable lodge room with the heat running only a half-hour before the meeting. They say it's "a far cry from the old days when someone turned the heat on at lunch time in the hopes that the room would be comfortable by eight." Using in-house labor saved them $1,000 on the job. -- More Light. * * * * SPRUCE PINE -- It doesn't seem like that long since Vesper 554 built a display case for a few pieces of Masonic memorabilia. Now they're adding a Masonic Bible from Rex Hollifield, and lodge manuals from Minneapolis and Georgia. There's also a Masonic gavel they got from S.T. Henry and Blanford C. Burgess in 1956. It's made of limestone from King Solomon's quarry and olive wood from the Mount of Olives. At this rate, they'll have to build a room to replace the cabinet. Vesper's lodge history is now available for four dollars. Contact David Greene for a copy. -- The Beacon. * * * * ALBEMARLE -- The chicken and dumpling fund raiser at Stanly 348 brought in almost $800. Three new faces were recruited from old guys not seen in a while when they held a Rusty Nail Degree at a March meeting. Hope they can develop a new habit now. -- Stanly Lodge. * * * * WALLACE -- A recent project solved drainage problems at Wallace 595. They recognized Ross Sykes for his large part in getting it done. -- Bulletin of Wallace Lodge. * * * * SNEADS FERRY -- They've put in a new fire escape at Stump Sound 733. They've also repanelled the lodge room, closed in windows upstairs, and insulated the rooms. It looks good and they expect it to offer decreased electric bills. We just got our first look at their newsletter, The Bulletin of Stump Sound Lodge. -- Bulletin of Stump Sound Lodge. * * * * FAYETTEVILLE -- Creasy Proctor 679 Master Larry Gatt presented his lodge with an ambitious program for the year. He wants 20 petitions, $15,000 for Masonic charities, clothes and toys drives for the Home for Children, and a food drive for local charity. He plans to recognize a number of members of the lodge Who make things run better. Good luck Larry, sound great. -- The Trestle Board. OSHKOSH LODGE TO HOST MASONIC PILOTS Oshkosh, Wisconsin -- Most fanatics of flying are acquainted with the Experimental Aircraft Association Fly-In here. Fewer probably know about a Masonic attraction Oshkosh 27 hosts each year during the Fly-In. This year the Grand Master of Wisconsin will be on hand as the Wausaukan Shrine Indians exemplify the first and second sections of the Master Mason Degree in full costume. You're invited. The meeting will be at Oshkosh 27, 204 Washington Street on Monday, July 31. Registration is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. A special program is planned for Masonic partners during the degree work. ENCOMPASSING THE WORLD NEWS FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARIZONA GM DIES ARIZONA -- Cancer claimed the life of Arizona Grand Master Ronald Leslie Wright in December. Deputy Grand Master Jerry Lankin has taken over his Masonic responsibilities. Several interesting resolutions were scheduled for Arizona's May Annual Communication. They were to consider reducing the minimum age for petitioning a lodge from 21 to 18 for sons of Arizona Masons or members of DeMolay. Another would allow groups renting lodge dining halls to serve alcohol if the lodge approves. They will be asked to rule on initiating a dialog with Arizona Prince Hall Masons regarding mutual Masonic recognition. One might guess though that the most controversial measure will be a four dollar increase in per capita paid to the grand lodge by constituent lodges. It would be their first increase since 1985. Arizona Masons will soon be able to get a special license tag. For the $25 fee, they'll get a square and compasses on the white tag with dark blue lettering reading "Arizona Freemason." Arizona is a popular winter destination for those fleeing the cold north. Apache 69 plays to the snowbirds each year with special gatherings. They had 43 past masters and 33 first-time visitors among the 115 on hand when they featured a Canadian degree in February. White Mountain 3 was one of the attractions on the tour when the Globe Chamber of Commerce showed off historic homes and buildings in the community. More than 250 neighbors dropped in to visit. -- Arizona Masonry. WILL TOURISM CHANGE SD'S MEETING DATE? SOUTH DAKOTA -- At their June annual communication, South Dakota Masons were to vote on changing the meeting date to May from now on. It currently coincides with tourist season. Making it ten days earlier will slip it in before rates go up -- saving about 30%. They'll also consider making blue lodge past masters voting members of the grand lodge. -- South Dakota Masonic Messenger. NM MASONS MUST PASS TEST OR WAIT TO JOIN BODIES NEW MEXICO -- At their annual communication in March, the Masons of New Mexico passed a resolution requiring Master Masons to wait three years before seeking further Masonic degrees unless they pass proficiency tests on the third degree. They rejected a bid to add a statement to the obligation that the penalties referred to are only symbolic. -- The New Mexico Freemason. ONE-DAY DEGREE IN WYOMING WYOMING -- A One-Day Grand Master's Class was held by the Grand Lodge of Wyoming in May. It was aimed at those candidates who dropped out before finishing their degrees. New candidates were also welcome for all three degrees. Local lodges were responsible for all follow-up schooling after the class-style raisings. -- The Wyoming Freemason. IDAHO HOSTS PHGLS IDAHO -- The Grand Lodge of Idaho hosted the Second Annual Fraternal Fellowship Banquet and Ball in January. Guests included the Prince Hall grand masters of Oregon and Nevada, a representative of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Washington, the grand master of Idaho, and a past grand master of the Grand Lodge of Washington. The event began last year to "celebrate the mutual recognition and Brotherhood that (they) now share as Masonic Brothers." In November, Kaniksu Lodge in Priest River became the first new lodge instituted here in "a good number of years." -- The Idaho Freemason. NEBRASKA HOLDS BAND CLINIC NEBRASKA -- Local lodges and other Masonic bodies will sponsor high school musicians to a statewide marching band clinic to be held at the University of Nebraska this summer. The culmination of the clinic will be performances in the Annual Nebraska Shrine Bowl Classic parade and half time show. The sponsorships cost $150. -- The Nebraska Mason. CONFERENCE CENTER MOVES AHEAD IN KENTUCKY KENTUCKY -- Kentucky Masons and their youth are a step closer to a museum, library, and conference center. The Center for Education and Leadership of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky has opened the Henry Vogt Building on the Louisville campus of the Masonic Homes of Kentucky. The building will house the library and museum components as development continues. They will eventually offer training programs and retreats for groups of up 48. The state's Scottish Rite has pledged help in furnishing the facility. -- Masonic Home Journal. OREGON/IDAHO DISPUTE CONTINUES BUT SOFTENS OREGON -- The dispute between the grand lodges of Idaho and Oregon continues. Oregon Grand Master John Scott Harvey reports that nine meetings with Idaho since October 1993 have failed to resolve the issue. Oregon withdrew fraternal relations more than three years ago when Idaho recognized the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Oregon. That Prince Hall body maintains one lodge in Idaho. Tyled visitation between the bodies is forbidden by Oregon. Neither may Oregon Masons discuss Masonic matters with Idaho Masons since they are considered clandestine. In the April issue of Oregon Masonic News, Grand Master Harvey seems to soften their position somewhat. He says, "While visiting other grand jurisdictions recognized by Oregon, should there be present a clandestine of irregular Masons, we are not required to leave." This seems to reverse the position taken in 1992. A resolution at their June annual communication to recognize the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Oregon would have apparently solved the difficulties that began in December 1991. An amendment to that resolution to share jurisdiction was defeated. The resolution was not voted on. The inconvenience continues. -- Oregon Masonic News. JAPANESE PRINCE HONORED JAPAN -- Allen L. Robinson, grand master of Japan, declared February 6--12, 1995 Prince Higashikuni Week. Higashikuni was the first member of the Japanese royal family to become a Freemason. That was back in 1957. He afterward helped many prominent Japanese who became interested in Freemasonry. -- Emessay Notes. DC TO INDUCT CLASS-STYLE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA -- The Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia is holding a Grand Master's Class in October. Their goal is to take 150 men through all three Masonic degrees in two days -- Entered Apprentice on Friday night, Fellow Craft Saturday morning, and Master Mason on Saturday afternoon. -- The Voice of Freemasonry. RI LODGES ASKED TO CONSIDER CONSOLIDATIONS RHODE ISLAND -- Citing the struggle to keep their 41 lodges open with 7,000 Masons, Rhode Island Grand Master Ralph DiScuillo is urging lodges to consider consolidation. In his message in the March Rhode Island Freemason, DiScuillo said, "Consider the strength that could be gained if we merged five or six struggling lodges into one entirely new lodge. This would give us a strong and talented force to choose line officers from and economically a much stronger lodge. New members and existing members will not be motivated to remain in a struggling lodge riddled with problems." He believes the changes necessary for Freemasonry lie in this direction, not through changes in ritual which he says should "remain sacred." It's easy for the young to be cruel. The DeMolay boys of Rhode Island challenged the state's grand lodge officers to a basketball game. The old guys report a "loss of memory as far as the score goes." It is unclear whether that's a result of advancing age or overdeveloped pride. The officers are pushing for a new sport next year. Cribbage seems to be a leading contender at this point. -- Rhode Island Freemason. MISSISSIPPI OPERATING ENDOWMENT GROWS MISSISSIPPI -- The Grand Lodge Endowment Fund here has reached $3.2 million. Half of the interest earned by the fund each year goes back into the endowment. The other half helps pay for grand lodge operations. -- The Mississippi Freemason. PHILLIPPINE MASONS BECOME DEPUTIES PHILIPPINES -- Traffic gridlock has become a serious problem in Manila. New attention is being paid to making and implementing traffic regulations. Forty Masons have been accredited as deputies by the Land Transportation Office. Their help in implementing traffic rules and regulations is seen as a way for them to do their "civic duty by helping ease traffic flow." -- The Cabletow. NJ ORDERS LODGES TO COMPUTERIZE NEW JERSEY -- The grand master of New Jersey ordered all lodges in his jurisdiction to be computerized by April 30 of this year. Software called "Secretaries Companion" was supplied to the lodges at no cost. The goal is to exchange all needed data, including annual reports, between the blue lodges and grand lodge electronically by way of an electronic bulletin board system. A proposed amendment to the bylaws of their grand lodge would allow limited use of lotteries to raise money for Masonic purposes. The measure was to be considered at their annual communication in late April. -- The New Jersey Freemason. ONE-DAY CLASS CONFERRAL IN KANSAS KANSAS -- Morris Fisher was installed 140th grand master of Kansas in March. He is holding a Grand Master's One-Day Conferral in July. The event is intended primarily for Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts who have failed to finish their degrees. All three degrees will be offered, however. This is part of a program to bolster membership. Other efforts include reduced proficiencies and waiver of time limits for all unfinished Entered Apprentices. Lodges may carry candidates to other lodges willing to do their degree work without asking permission from the grand lodge. Members excluded for non-payment of dues may regain membership by paying the current year's dues. -- The Kansas Mason. MICHIGAN CONSIDERS RITUAL CHANGES MICHIGAN -- Several pieces of legislation affecting ritual and proficiency were to be considered at Michigan's annual communication. Proficiency requirements were reduced to "signs, grips, and words" some years ago when emphasis was placed on educating new members who didn't have the time to study catechisms. Two proposed amendments would return the obligations to degree proficiencies. In support of one measure, submitters wrote, "If you think this education may be given to a Brother at a later time, because of his present busy schedule or for whatever reason, please think again, for if it is not given while he is receiving the three symbolic degrees, it certainly will not be done later for the same reasons." Legislation in 1963 prohibited the use of a canvas in the Third Degree, apparently because of worry about injuring a candidate. Back injuries to those conducting the degree seem now to have replaced the previous concerns. They were to consider allowing the canvas again. Some believe that conducting regular lodge communications in the Entered Apprentice Degree would help participation by getting new members involved during their most enthusiastic period. They were to vote on that idea also. Two resolutions from the Ritual Study Committee would shorten the degree work itself. The first would condense the closing of each of the degrees. The second would remove part of the Fellow Craft lecture. The Masonic Foundation in Michigan has been offering matching funds to lodges for approved local charity programs. They recently upped the limit from $600 to $750 and simplified the application process. Construction should have already begun on the education and community center and chapel at the Michigan Masonic Home. They hope to complete the facility by spring of next year. -- From Pointe to Point. MASONS ACCUSED OF RITUAL ABUSE Ontario, Canada -- In January, Stone Angels, a so-called survivors' group, sponsored a conference in Thunder Bay called "Surviving Ritual Abuse." The provincial government contributed $15,000 to the conference. Stone Angels "revealed" that the epidemic of satanic molestation is being orchestrated by Freemasons. Stephen Kent, of the Department of Sociology at the University of Alberta, told a radio station that some accounts of abuse seem "to have taken place in buildings which sound like they were lodges. Moreover, a lot of these accounts involve group abuse, and some people have very strong suspicions that the network in which their, in most cases, fathers allegedly moved were Masonic networks." He further added, "I'm sure that ordinary Masons would be appalled to hear the kind of stories that I have heard... in no way would I suspect that the mainstream Masonic organization would in any way be involved in these things." After being excluded from the taxpayer funded conference, Peter Toohey protested to local elected officials and is considering legal action for slander. Toohey is a Mason and former Thunder Bay police officer. -- Robert Sheaffer, Skeptical Inquirer. MEMOS FROM THE MASON History is fickle. It often depends on opinion, especially where the hazy world of early Freemasonry is concerned. We got some dispute on the Masonic membership of some of the celebrities listed in a column in our last issue. While each of those listed are Masons by some account, not all are universally accepted. We got protests on Brigham Young, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Paine. President Lyndon Johnson, according to several sources, never advanced beyond Entered Apprentice. The editor doesn't consider himself competent to judge the historical validity of any name on the list. Like the very origins of the Craft, membership of any individual is sometimes unresolvable. Catawba 248 is interested in starting a newsletter exchange. Send them your newsletter and they'll send you theirs. It's a great way to get new ideas. If you're interested contact R.W. Jarrett, Catawba 248, P.O. Box 722, Newton, NC 28658. We missed at least one Masonic state legislator in our list in the last issue -- William Franklin Mitchell of Olin 226 is in the state House. The wives of some NC Masons may also serve as legislators. If you know of any, let us know. Deadline For September/October NC Mason August 1 THE LATEST OFFERING FROM JIMROD Q. WAXPILLOW This brash young Mason from Salisbury Goes to the phone late and calls Mary But then he knows the trick's up When Mary's father picks up And utters some words that are all scary IN DEFENSE OF FREEMASONRY BY JAMES H. COILE Occasionally, I am asked what I would say to someone who criticizes Freemasonry as being "anti-Christian." If the critic is one who will listen to the philosophy of Freemasonry, I gladly relate to them my understanding of what Masonry teaches and requires of me. If the individual is one who simply wants to criticize and condemn another organization seeking to make himself feel better, no rational argument or discussion is useful. However, a personal testimony is always valid. To such a person, I would say the following. I am a Christian, and I am a Mason. I am a husband, and I am a Mason. I am a father, and I am a Mason. I am a son, and I am a Mason. I am a brother, and I am a Mason. I am a Methodist preacher, and I am a Mason. I am a teacher, and I am a Mason. I am a politician, and I am a Mason. I am a photographer, and I am a Mason. I am a writer, and I am a Mason. I am a pilot, and I am a Mason. I am a farmer, and I am a Mason. I am a veteran, and I am a Mason. I am an insurance agent, and I am a Mason. I am a painter, and I am a Mason. I am a truck driver, and I am a Mason. I am an American, and I am a Mason. These are some of the roles I have played in seeking to be the man God has called me to be. Some of them I still play. I have never discovered any conflict between being a Mason and being in any of the roles that I have accepted for myself in my lifetime. Quite the contrary, being a Mason requires that I live out all of the roles that are mine with the highest degree of morality and belief that I can. Masonry does not require its members to be Christian, but it does require that they believe in God. Since I have accepted Christianity as my particular faith, Masonry does require that I be best Christian that, with God's help, I can become. You may criticize and condemn me and the fraternity of Freemasonry because is does not demand its members to be Christian. If you do, you must also criticize and condemn every organization and fraternity that does not require its members to adhere to a particular religion. And remember this: Masonry will never criticize or condemn you for expressing your particular religious belief. Indeed, Masonry will defend and encourage your right to believe as you choose and to live out your belief according to the revelation you have received from God. Should the world seek to condemn, degrade, or destroy you because of what you believe, you will discover defenders in the fraternity of Freemasonry. They will stand shoulder to shoulder with you and defend you and your right to your particular religious belief with every fiber of their being and every ounce of breath in their bodies. In no other way could Masonry be the fraternity that its philosophy and teaching demand it should be. EDITORIAL CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Let's face it, something feels wrong. When you check the news, reports from the trial tell you about which lawyers scored the most points today and who's ahead. There's no mention of justice. When you get a story from the capital, it's which party got the advantage of the other and what part it will play in the next election. There's little or no mention about taking care of our nation or state. Even in our hometowns, the way one board feels about another often seems more important than what's good and right for the community and our children. Our churches seem to be ever more divided, with ever finer points of philosophy being enough to tear apart congregations. Many are frustrated, feeling there is no way for them to control their own lives, much less affect the world. Purse driven talk show hosts present scapegoats and prod us to hate. Let's face it, it's easy to convince us that our own interests are the most important in the world. It's a perfectly natural inclination to start with. But living that conviction does away with brotherhood, love, and eventually civilized behavior. Shortly after the Oklahoma City bombing, I got a call from Mary Myers of Lexington. She wanted to talk about the seeming disappearance of caring in society. She and her husband Joseph were trying to mount a campaign that would allow each individual to try to help in a private and simple way. They want a Prayer Team for America. I was touched by Mary's sincerity and hope. If you'd like more information, write Prayer Team for America, P.O. Box 1416, Lexington, NC 27293. Here is their message. Belief in the power of prayer is interdenominational, interfaith, interracial. Even agnostics and atheists may believe in the power of thought. While "we the people" may feel disenfranchised by a political system that seems to respond to and depend upon the power of money, we still hold the real power. That real power is our faith in God! Of course, faith must be exercised, be put into practice, developed by use, just as a muscle in our body develops with use or atrophies with disuse. Faith may be exercised until it will remove mountains or denied until one loses all concept of God, so that life has little meaning except to pursue shortsighted self interest. Our nation was founded upon the Godlike ideal of a democratic people whose concern for the welfare of posterity would be uppermost, whose citizens would gladly cooperate in placing the welfare of the nation above that of themselves as individuals. This was beautifully expressed by one famous patriot, Nathan Hale, who said, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." Individual citizens by the thousands still express deeply felt concern for posterity. To restore these ideals to our political system, we must exercise our God-given power of prayer and generate a noble and constructive atmosphere in our thought world. This letter is a plea to everyone who believes that we are the offspring of the Creator to exercise the power of faith. Will you join with us and spend five minutes in intense prayer each day, holding up our leaders to be bathed in the Spiritual Light that inspired our founding fathers as they prepared the Constitution of the United States of America? -- By Mary and Joseph R. Myers