electronicNCMason September/October 1995 -- vol. 3 no. 5 The stripped-down, online version of the real thing The North Carolina Mason, Volume CXX No. 5 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 or ricc@abaco.coastalnet.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. ************************************************************ ************************************************************ GRAND TREASURER JERRY TART LOSES BATTLE WITH CANCER Greensboro -- Grand Treasurer and Past Grand Master Jerry Gordon Tart has lost his battle with cancer. He passed away July 21, 1995, at his home. He was 61. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife Zee; two daughters, Laura and son-in-law C. Robert Rhodes, and Rachel, all of Greensboro; and mother Ellen W. Tart of Newton Grove. Tart, a native of Sampson County, attended Wake Forest University where he got his law degree. He practiced law in Greensboro until his appointment to the Federal Bench in 1986. He was chief judge of the US Bankruptcy Court Middle District of North Carolina at his death. Fishing and sailing were favorites in his love of water sports. He had been a member of the Kerr Lake Protective Association and the Friends of the Roanoke Basin. He was a charter member of the Guilford County Beekeepers Association. Jerry was initiated, passed, and raised by his father in the summer of 1955 at Mill Creek 125 in Newton Grove. His father was a past master of that lodge. In 1964 he affiliated with Corinthian 542 in Greensboro. He served as Corinthian's master in 1970. He was active in many Masonic bodies including Oasis Shrine. He was grand high priest of the York Rite's Grand Royal Arch Chapter in 1987--88. He was coroneted 33¡ by the Scottish Rite in 1987. He was appointed to the Grand Lodge line by Grand Master A.C. "Jack" Honeycutt in 1982. Jerry was elected and installed Grand Master of Masons in North Carolina in 1989. He was elected grand treasurer in 1992, an office he held at his death. Past Grand Master Bunn T. Phillips Jr. performed Masonic graveside services in Newton Grove. In his eulogy, Phillips said of Jerry Tart, "He gave of himself and made us better for having known him. His search for fulfillment touched all of us who had the privilege and honor of knowing him." LATE BREAKING NEWS MESH BOARD ADOPTS MASTER PLAN FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Greensboro -- At press time, The NC Mason learned that the Board of Directors of the Masonic and Eastern Star Home has approved a master plan for improvements to the Home. The strategy was developed in discussions with consultants in the field. The course they've endorsed comes in three phases. The first is building the new care center and more independent living cottages. At the new care center's completion the Bass Care Center, built in 1970, would be renovated as assisted living facilities. The third phase would be the addition of more cottages. The adoption of the plan does not authorize the start of any construction. Neither does it address financing the projects. The approval of a plan is necessary to pursue further planning. We'll bring the master plan in more detail in an upcoming issue. NC MASON AWARDED EDITORIAL TITLE Jackson, Mississippi -- The National Federation of Press Women awarded The North Carolina Mason first place in the Editorial for an Internal Publication division at its 1995 National Convention. The recognition was for "Do We Really Believe in the Brotherhood of Man?" published in our March/April 1994 issue. The article urged Masons to contemplate the part that race plays in our Masonic lives. The same editorial took first place in the annual competition of the North Carolina Press Club. The NC Mason was judged the best internal publication in the state in that contest. We are proud of the recognition, and hope it's a sign that we are publishing an ever improving newspaper for the Masons of North Carolina. BASNIGHT APPRECIATES MASONIC EDUCATION A TALK WITH THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE NC SENATE Raleigh -- Does being a Mason give you anything politically? Probably not. Does it teach you anything about being a successful public servant? You' bet! Ask Marc Basnight, President pro tempore of the North Carolina State Senate. Currently in his sixth two-year term in the state senate, he must be doing something right. He was named 1993's Most Effective Senator, by the North Carolina Center of Public Policy Research. He's been honored by people at what some consider opposite ends of the political spectrum. He was the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce's Citizen of Year in 1983. He got the William C. Lassiter First Amendment Award in 1993 for promotion of freedom of press and open government. He received the Carolinas Association of General Contractors's 1994 Pinnacle Award and the President's Public Service Award from the Nature Conservancy in 1989. He was the Grand Lodge of North Carolina's grand orator for 1994--95. So, you figure a guy like that's been in charge all his life? "I graduated from Manteo High in 1966 and that's as far as I ever went, I wasn't a good student. I went to work," says Basnight. "There was a void there in my life when I left high school and then grew into a young adult." Where did he find what he needed. How did Masonry get a foothold in his life? Basnight says, "My uncle, more than anyone else got me interested -- Melvin Basnight -- he and my cousin, Jimmy Basnight, my business partner. People in the community who you looked up to were Masons. C.C Duvall was very important to Marc. "C.C. stands out because he gave so much to the Masonic world, to its community. He loved it. He was master at Manteo 521. He was a good man. He cared about children. He gave a lot to children -- he gave a lot to me. I didn't have the most disciplined life. He was the deputy sheriff and the chief of police in Manteo. Through my youth he was the person that I saw and that all children who grew up on Roanoke Island at the time saw. C.C. gave me some discipline. He gave me some responsiveness to things I should do." "He was a Mason. He loved the Brotherhood. He loved its purpose; he understood its language. He was the kind of person young people need to experience and have relationships with." Duvall was later the man who flew the medical helicopter for the barrier islands, a role more important than most mainlanders understand. What did Marc think about when he stood before the Grand Lodge's Annual Communication in April to deliver his oration? "I thought about Willett Tillett, who was special. [Tillett died while North Carolina's senior grand warden], and then C.C. He lost his life in a helicopter. He would fly people out in hurricanes and any other time of need." What has Masonry got to offer young people? "You learn the disciplines of life," he said. "You learn brotherhood and service to people. It's the part of God and trust. Yea, it taught me something I didn't have. There was a place in me and it filled that place. I know its there when I need it. That's a good feeling to have. "It's a brotherhood. It's a fraternity. We're a part of it -- it's ours. The government doesn't own it. Some business enterprise doesn't own it -- it's ours. It's rooted in history and the past." Don't think though that Marc Basnight lacks respect for education just because school didn't suit him. He thinks that education is a very important part of North Carolina's infrastructure. "Just as a road gets us from here to there, education moves us from ignorance to knowledge. It teaches us how to make the most of what we have. Where our faith gives us a moral guide, education gives us a practical guide." These are Masonic lessons well learned. "When we invest in our people through education, we give them a map. That map allows them to chart their own course and make the most of their lives. Our faith teaches us to have compassion for our fellow man, education teaches us how to help our fellow man. Become an advocate for opportunity, an advocate for education. Education helps people help themselves and it helps make a better community for your fellow man." These are public service lessons well learned. THREE NORTH CAROLINA NATIVES INSTALLED GRAND MASTER Our own Cliff Everett Jr. wasn't the only North Carolina native to become grand master this year. Robert V. Pinkston was elected grand master at the 258th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina. He lives in Beaufort, SC now, but he's a native of Salisbury, NC and was educated in Rowan County schools. Up in Alaska is another Tar Heel far from home. Henry T. Dunbar, new grand master of the Grand Lodge of Alaska, was born in Wayne County. He graduated from Grantham High School in 1957 and attended NC State University. He married his high school sweetheart Becky Jones, also of Wayne County. We're very proud of all three of them. BUY A LODGE OF YOUR OWN Hamilton -- Want to own your own lodge? We can't offer you a charter, but the building is available on Liberty Street in Hamilton. That's down near Fort Branch and the Roanoke River in Martin County. It was recently offered for sale in North Carolina Preservation, a magazine dedicated to protecting places important to our heritage. It's was the home of now extinct Conoho 131. Conoho was one of ten lodges chartered by our Grand Lodge in 1850. Six of them are operating today. It's hard to say exactly what happened to the lodge in Hamilton. But, some of its records are still available in the archives of the Grand Lodge. We know that their charter was arrested in 1884 after two consecutive years without filing returns or paying dues to the Grand Lodge. The same thing happened to eight other lodges that year. Only two of those managed to recover and survive until today. Business was sparse toward the end according to the minutes of the last two meetings found in the archives. Attendance was low. Perhaps interest had fallen off, or economics forced members to move to other towns. March 7, 1883, is the last meeting noted in the lodge minutes we found. Amendments to the lodge bylaws were passed on that night. They changed meeting nights from first and third Wednesdays to first Wednesday and third Friday. They lowered the fees for initiation from $25 to $20. Perhaps they were trying to increase attendance. A visitor from Stonewall 296 in Robersonville filled the senior warden's chair that night just as he had in the last previous meeting in January. A visitor from Skewarkee 90 in Williamston had stood in for the junior deacon in January. He wasn't on hand that last night and the chair went vacant. Their financial record book for 1881 showed dues being collected from 16 members in November and December. The total per capita tax of $10.50 went off to Grand Lodge in November. The secretary's was paid his allowance of $15. They were left with a deficit of $6.99 that year. The next year's accounts showed dues paid for only two men. The secretary's allowance was once more paid, but no dues to Grand Lodge. No more is heard from them. Conoho 131 seems to have gone out with a whimper. Over the years the lodge served as a home to Sons of Temperance, Hamilton Female Institute, the local Episcopal congregation, and a simple storage building. Traces of a painted black and white "carpet" are said to be slightly visible still. The name of Thomas Rhodes Duvall, Eighth Georgia Cavalry, is said to appear on the stairway to the upstairs lodge room. In 1985, the first floor was brought up to code to house a bakery that never materialized. For $30,000, you can own this partially restored, two-story temple form building of Greek Revival style. Built about 1850, the building now rests in Hamilton's National Register Historic District. You can call Les Riley at (919) 798-7461 or (406) 683-5453 for more information. THE OTHER FEZ GROUP THE GROTTO In 1889 some members of Hamilton 120 in Hamilton, New York, decided to increase the opportunity for fun and good fellowship for Master Masons. They called their group The Grotto. The idea caught on rapidly, and by 1890 a Supreme Council was formed, headed by a Grand Monarch. Today some 27,000 men are in 170 Grottoes in 34 states and Canada. Grotto membership is limited to Master Masons and provides a variety of social programs involving Masons and their families. Activities typically include a Rod and Gun Club offering fishing and hunting trips; a golf league for members, local Masons, and their guests; a golf tournament for Masons and their partners; a bowling league that includes both men and women; a Drum and Bugle Corps; a Clown Unit; dinner-dances; an Easter egg hunt for the children; and a Christmas potluck meal with Santa Claus and gifts for all of the children. There are many other diversions offered. The members of the Grotto also support a variety of charities including Dentistry for the Handicapped and fighting Cerebral Palsy. The ritual of the Grotto is based on Al Mokanna, the Veiled Prophet of Persia. You can learn more in Thomas Mann's epic poem, The Story of Lalla Rookh. It has a moral lesson about sympathy and good fellowship. The official name of the organization is the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm. The symbolism of the Grotto is Persian in origin with the dominant symbol being the Mokanna head. The leader of the local Grotto is called the Monarch and members are distinguished by wearing a black fez. The Daughters of Mokanna is an allied international ladies' organization with its own ritual and ceremonies. The Grotto has always maintained close ties to local Masonic lodges. It provides support in a variety of ways including social programs to which local Masons can invite their non-Masonic friends in an appropriate atmosphere. As a result of good fellowship, many petitions for Blue Lodge membership are signed in the local Grottoes. Currently, the only Grotto in North Carolina is Azusa Grotto in Charlotte. At this writing Azusa is about to move. To find them, contact their secretary, Blair Ferguson at 4022 Glenwood Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208-2945. For information on starting a new Grotto, you are invited to contact E. Paul Howard, Executive Secretary, The Grottoes of North America, 1696 Brice Road, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068, or telephone: (614) 860-9193, or fax (614) 860-9099. By Richard H. Sands, chairman, Fraternal Relations Committee, Grottoes of North America. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** THE GRAND MASTER'S MESSAGE WHAT IS MASONRY WORTH I hope all of you have experienced a happy and productive summer and that this issue of The Mason finds you ready for the fall and some good football weather. Frankly, I have been extremely busy since my last message to you. By the time you read this article, I will have completed more than two-thirds of my area meetings. I have greatly enjoyed my travels around the state and meeting all the brethren. The fellowship has been great and I hope my message has been meaningful. One of the topics discussed at the area meetings has been the proposed amendment to the Code providing for an increase in the per capita tax. Obviously, no one of us seeks to increase the per capita tax simply to bring in more revenue than is needed. However, Brethren, your Grand Lodge is fast approaching the day when basic expenditures will outstrip revenues. I have personally examined the budgets for Grand Lodge over the past several years and am satisfied that every effort and measure has been explored and implemented to gain every advantage from the revenues received from the subordinate lodges. Your finance committee has done an outstanding job in this respect. Basic services provided by the Grand Lodge have remained constant over the last several years with no marked budget increase. In fact, we have done very much better than the national rate of inflation in this respect. The continued decline in our membership and the increasing number of 50-year members for which no per capita tax is collected is the problem that must be addressed. In 1992, the first year of the increase in per capita tax to $7.50, we had 66,532 Masons in North Carolina. That year our annual operating budget was $473,701.00. Revenues for that same year amounted to $517,365.25, giving your Grand Lodge a surplus of $43, 684.25. The per capita tax has remained constant since 1992; however, membership has now decreased to 63,300 active Masons with approximately 1,700 Veteran members for whom no per capita tax is collected. In 1995, we only have 61,600 taxable Masons. This reduces our 1995 revenue to $488,700.00. The budget approved by the Grand Lodge delegates at the 1995 Annual Communication was $507,914.00. This amounts to a projected deficit in the 1995 fiscal year of $19,214.00. If the current decline in membership and rise in Veteran members continue at the same rate, we anticipate a budget deficit in 1996 of $44,375.00. That, Brethren, is even with no marked increase in expenditures. The Finance Committee's currently proposed amendment to The Code would increase the per capita tax by $1.50 to $9.00 in 1997. It would add 50¢ in 1998, and by another 50¢ in 1999, when the total per capita tax would be $10.00. With the continued decline in membership and the added Veteran members this should give us a surplus in revenue over expenditures of $15,450.00 in 1999 if our operating budget grows at the current rate. As a matter of related interest, our Grand Lodge Contingency Fund (our savings) stood at $179,440.31 as of August 31, 1995. Expenditures from this fund approved by the delegates last April at Grand Lodge amounted to $8,000 for software for our computer system and $20,000 for the video tape program for lodge education. Adjustments to this fund as a result of these approved expenditures now leaves a balance of $151,440.31. With the anticipated $19,214.00 budget deficit this year in operations, we only have an effective balance at the end of 1995 of $132,226.31. Unless we immediately address this revenue problem, Brethren, we will be facing the complete liquidation of this fund in the next few years. I sincerely hope to be able to address this problem this spring at our workshops regarding our finances and matters affecting our charities especially the Home in Greensboro. In the months ahead, please give serious thought to these matters as well as other matters affecting our Craft. I want you to be fully informed regarding all matters and I welcome your constructive suggestions and comments. RAMBLIN' ROSE BY JOHN ROSE, ADMINISTRATOR MASONIC & EASTERN STAR HOME THEY CAN STILL TEACH US Having administered both retirement homes and children's homes, I have come to regard all people as God's children. The only difference is that some are older than others, some more agile, and some more responsible. Have you ever noticed how younger people tend to placate senior citizens? We often presume they have a diminished capacity to hear, think, or understand. Professional studies have shown this to be completely wrong. Having worked for many years in this industry of caring, I know these studies are right. While the average age of our Brothers and Sisters in the Home is well over 75 years, we who labor here have the pleasure to learn from each. As the new administrator I have been very busy trying to get up-to-speed with the Home and its rich heritage. Being so busy, and having learned that Brother Ellwood Edwards enjoys chess, he and I played a game by mail. I surrendered to him in less than 10 moves. Willeen Edwards, a true belle of the south, was in the office when I dropped a piece of paper. I saw how nimble she was when she retrieved it. There were five staff members in the office when Willeen, nearly 90 years old, showed us how she can still touch the floor without bending her knees. No one else in the room could come close. Brother Angus Simpson, his mind keen, still coaches candidates for his blue lodge. Others have given me wonderful insight such as, "John, why worry about the 50 point drop in the stock market when it just finished jumping 700 points?" In other words, "Keep your concerns in perspective." A couple residing in the Home recently gave the Home a gift of nearly $14,000. They felt the Home needed their financial support to embrace the 21st century. And so I find our Brothers and Sisters who live at the Masonic and Eastern Star Home to be good friends who can impart to us their wisdom. They are not society's broken toys. They have wisdom and value. We should not allow them to suffer because of the gravity of their years, the worth of their pocket books, or because they have a wrinkled brow. They are not living on borrowed time. They have much to contribute and, in them, as with the children, we can and should invest. Speaking of investing, would God borrow from us? If so, would He reimburse us? How long should the loan be amortized? Proverbs 19:17 tells us that, "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and He will repay him for his deed." Although poverty is the great equalizer, "need" does not relate only to money. More so, it relates to the loss of family, medical problems, distance from essential services, lack of family support, and a host of other physical and emotional tragedies. Because they are here in the Home, our residents are not poor. By sponsoring this Home you have relieved the distress of Masons and their wives, widows, and qualified family members. Your kindness in caring for this Home is a loan to the Lord that is amortized over your remaining years at which time you will be fully repaid with compounding dividends and interest as you never dreamed possible. UNDER THE OAKS BY DAVID GRISSOM, ADMINISTRATOR MASONIC HOME FOR CHILDREN WE CAN HELP MORE CHILDREN A Mason recently asked me what kinds of children are admitted to The Masonic Home for Children. There are several answers that we hope will help the Masons across the North Carolina better understand our job. As the oldest long term residential Masonic home in the United States, our Masons have historically taken pride in caring for children who need stability, guidance, structure, and a great deal of love. All the children who come to our Masonic Home for Children are recommended by a North Carolina Blue Lodge. Our Home is a non-profit, charitable home. Our children are not referred by an agency that took custody of the child. Many of these children come from broken homes that lack financial support. The child may be in the care of a grandparent or a relative who physically cannot help the child. Your Home offers outstanding assistance. A child can come to our facility and live in a structured environment. He learns to live with others developing social skills. She learns responsibility by assuming constructive duties. She receives the good education needed to survive in the job market. He gets quality care, getting help mentally, physically, and spiritually. While our Home is not a treatment facility, there are children in all our communities who need a chance to be a child. Many children have been abused, neglected, or need guidance and a chance to develop. These are not delinquent children, but children who need hope and support. The Home may not have the proper program to meet every child's needs. That is why we have to determine the needs of each child and whether the child meets the guidelines of the Home. That is why each child is screened through the lodge and investigated by our admissions director. I do not believe any of us want to see a child lost in the system and end up on the streets. We don't want one to fall through the cracks and miss life's opportunities. Our goal at The Masonic Home for Children is the same as that of the Mason. Masons want to help a man become a better man in Masonry. We want make each child in our care a better individual. Thousands of children have walked beneath the oaks on this great campus getting their needed and deserved chance from Masons. Every year at our October Homecoming, many alumni, young and the young at heart, will say, "If it had not been for this Home, I do not know where I would be today." There are many more children in your communities who need the kind of care our Masonic Home For Children provides. I encourage you to make a difference. Help make a difference for a child, so they can make a difference for our future. May God continue to bless and guide you. You are a wonderful blessing to your large family in Oxford. BEACH TRIP! Myrtle Beach, SC -- The Masonic Home for Children's graduating seniors took on Myrtle Beach in their version of the Annual Senior Beach Trip May 10--14. The trip is sponsored every year by an anonymous North Carolina couple. You can't get to Myrtle Beach without a stop at South of the Border. The seniors stocked up on the necessary fireworks there. The next day began with a visit to Brookgreen Gardens, which was followed by some serious baking in the sun, and was topped with a bit of discrete cruising on Ocean Boulevard. The third day saw more sun soaking on the beach plus supper at a steak house and a trip to see the Gatlin Brothers perform in their new theater. Perfect weather greeted them and stayed with them through a trip to an amusement park, the confused joy of a 70-item seafood buffet, and an evening at a teen club on the fourth day. To all those who made the event possible the kids say, "Thank you. It was a trip that none of us will ever forget!" Adventurers on Senior Beach Trip included, front from left, Heather Williams, Tanya Oakes, and Stephenie Huskey. In the back are Eric Austin and Kelli Haskins. SOME BIRTHDAYS FROM THE HOME FOR CHILDREN October 2, 1982 Jamie Lynn Simmons October 3, 1991 Andrew James Gay October 3, 1979 Monica Michelle Hon October 4, 1985 John Brandon Pack October 6, 1979 Mary Elizabeth Dunlow October 8, 1985 Tammy Marie Stevens October 9, 1977 Shaun Jason Quigley October 18, 1977 Roger Lee Barker October 22, 1979 David Kelly Dean III October 25, 1980 Jonathan Paul Jones October 26, 1985 Brian Shane Smith October 29, 1981 Michelle Leigh Weary October 29, 1980 Heather Rae Smith October 29, 1988 Brandy Rene Lucas November 7, 1980 Priscilla Elaine Alford November 9, 1979 James Hobert East Jr. November 12, 1980 Eric Daniel Cole November 12, 1975 Tonya Marie Oakes November 13, 1981 Steven Allen Williams Jr. November 13, 1987 Glenn Mark Harvell November 14, 1982 Cody Wayne Cope November 15, 1977 Joshua Franklin Casstevens November 16, 1984 Amanda Michelle Childers November 18, 1982 James David Wilbourn November 20, 1979 Wendy Lynn Minshew November 24, 1980 Nathaniel Elliot Bishop November 26, 1987 Brent Steven Smith November 27, 1978 Gary Telestial Wallace November 28, 1979 Noah Abraham Bates November 29, 1975 Sherry Denise Williams November 29, 1982 Ryan Christopher Owens November 29, 1975 Sherri Denise Harris November 30, 1979 John Kenneth Flibotte FROM THE FOUNDATION BY JIM MEDLIN, ADMINISTRATOR NORTH CAROLINA MASONIC FOUNDATION TIPS FOR FUND RAISING IN YOUR LODGE We are now approaching the time of year that most of our lodges will alert the brethren to their annual solicitation for our North Carolina Charities -- The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford and The Masonic and Eastern Star Home in Greensboro. Our Homes need our help and assistance. They truly depend on our Masonic love and relief. How can we improve our help for the Homes? Here are some ideas for you dedicated men who run your lodge's solicitation programs. First, each lodge should establish a specific time to begin and end the lodge's drive. "Start" and "end" dates establish a reference. It reflects to the membership the importance and timeliness of the solicitation. It institutes an opening and a closure. It gives the member a particular time span to collect his thoughts and send in his contribution. You should establish a dollar goal for the lodge. Throughout the state, we will challenge Masons to increase the average gift to the Homes' annual operation from $16 per member to $25. Let's say that your lodge has 100 members. You should set your lodge goal at $2,500. Stress to your members that if they are giving more than $25, to please keep giving at least at their current level. They are helping those Brothers who can't make the goal. If your lodge is already bettering the $25 average gift, increase your goal by some stated percentage. The increase should be comfortable and attainable by your lodge. Let's look at a 100 member lodge again. If you raised $3,000 last year ($30 per member), you might add ten percent this year. That's only three dollars for each Mason, but it increases the lodge's annual contribution to $3,300. You might want to make the goal 20% higher. In any event, set a lodge goal. Let your members know the dollar amount your lodge aspires to raise for the charities. A solicitation letter should then be mailed to each lodge member asking for his response by a certain time. If you do not hear from a Brother, schedule a visit. Nothing is more positive than a face-to-face visit. Always remember that our overall goal in North Carolina is not only to present more dollars to the retirement home in Greensboro and the children at Oxford, but to get more Brothers involved and perhaps active in Masonry! Now, for some ideas for those of you who want to support our Homes. I know that everybody is asking for money -- churches, the Heart Fund, the Cancer Fund, the MS Society, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, elementary schools, high school schools, colleges, and the list goes on and on. They ask me for money, too. You and I are trying to give to as many worthy charities as possible. It is hard to keep the pace. Here are some ideas on how you might think about your giving. What if your personal goal is to send $25 to Greensboro, $25 to Oxford, and $25 to the NC Masonic Foundation? Let's break that amount down further. That $75 amounts to only 21¢ per day; a little more than $6 a month. Set your own personal goals for giving. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee per day, setting aside that 21¢ per day for our children and elder adults will allow you to make an annual gift for all three charities. It's just that easy! And look what we could accomplish if the average gift from all Master Masters in North Carolina were $75 -- a total $4,733,925 would be the end result! Give for the good of Masonry. Answer the call of your lodges. Give to our North Carolina charities. ***************************************************** ***************************************************** TEE TIME FOR MESH OPEN APPROACHING There's still time for you to get into the Eighth Annual MESH Golf Tournament. Six area tournaments will be played October 6 (rain date October 13). The 1994 Open brought in $57,000 for the Masonic and Eastern Star Home. Playing in the area tournament will cost you $55. That covers your green fee, cart fee, on-course snack, and 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. The playoff will be in Winston-Salem on October 21. You may play in any area tournament you wish. To sign up or become a sponsor, contact any of the area chairmen listed here. 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. GRAND MASTER LOOKING FOR SPEAKERS The Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Research and Development is working on a speakers bureau for the state's lodges. The bureau will maintain a listing of presenters and topics to help with Masonic education in the lodges. They will also list programs for presentation to non-Masonic groups. If you have a prepared topic you'd like to share, or are willing to be a speaker, let them hear from you. If you know someone who does a good job at such things, turn him in. We could all use his help. Please write Edward A. Gaskins Jr., Chairman, Committee on Masonic Research and Development, 621 Piner Road, Wilmington, NC 28409-4201. Now don't be shy, send Ed a card. UNIVERSITY 408 INVITES YOU TO INVITE YOUR SONS TO OPEN HOUSE Chapel Hill -- If you have a son or grandson attending the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill or just living in that area, here's a chance to introduce them to Freemasonry. University 408 wants you to invite them to an open house they are hosting at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday September 26. Deputy Grand Master William Simpson will be the featured speaker. Amran Shrine Potentate James Jennings, past master of University 408, will be there along with representatives of the York and Scottish rites to answer questions about appendant bodies. Refreshments will be served. Special attention will be paid to the relationship between Freemasonry and the founding of the university and enlightened public education in America. That's why they want to encourage students to attend. "Freemasonry and its practices are tokens of the Enlightenment that led to the founding of the United States. The speculative uses of our craft led directly to Masonry's belief in education," says Elliott Warnock, master of University 408. "I think many students at the University of North Carolina would be fascinated to learn of the hand Masons had, and have, in the founding and running of the campus." Spouses and friends are welcome. They wouldn't even mind if you passed along the word to someone you know down the road at Duke. University Lodge is at 1211 East Franklin Street. You can get more information by calling Elliott Warnock at (919) 942-8888. WORLD TRAVELING GAVEL ON ITS WAY ONCE AGAIN Williamsburg, Virginia -- Deciding where to send a world-traveling gavel is no small decision. You don't want to send it just around the district. You feel some responsibility to make its next step mean something more. Last January we told you the story of the gavel wielded at Eureka 283 in China Grove. Its home is Hertfordshire, England at lodge Rosewood 8793. It took to the road in 1981. After keeping the gavel in China Grove for a few weeks, Robert Karriker (right) gave the gavel wing again, delivering it to Thomas E. Lasher (left), master of Williamsburg 6 in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Williamsburg 6 is reputed to be the birthplace of the first independent grand lodge in America. It is the home lodge of nine grand masters of Virginia, four governors of Virginia, ten US Congressmen, four US Senators, two US secretaries of state, one US Supreme Court justice, and one US President. We think Robert Karriker picked well in choosing the hammer's next step. TRAVELERS OF THE TAR HEEL STATE NEWS FORM NC LODGES MATTHEWS Matthews 461 has a new Fraternal relationship with Hart 380 in Lancaster, South Carolina. Hart did a degree in Matthews in May. Matthews Lodge returned the favor by putting on a Third Degree in South Carolina in June. The officers even sported new aprons and collars for the event. Hart has already promised two candidates for raising on their next trip across the border. Edward M. Noles has been elected to life membership at Matthews 461. Noles has been lodge secretary for several years. They also depend on him doing several of their lectures and Masonic funeral services. -- Matthews Masonic Lodge. ASHEBORO At the halfway point of the year, Asheboro 699 is having record attendance and participation each month. Their rookies are especially active. The First Degree team performing in June was mostly new members, several of whom were raised only in the last two or three months. -- Asheboro Lodge. CORNELIUS Williams 176 will be visiting Virginia in September to perform a Third Degree. -- Trestle Board. GREENSBORO Gate City 694 took a group of nearly forty to Oxford for their annual picnic for the kids at the Masonic Home for Children. They say the kids seemed to enjoy showing them around campus almost as much as they did the games and chow. Their annual hot dog, hamburger, and ice cream get together was scheduled for late July. They invite friends and family members. -- Gate City Lodge. Golf seems to get more and more popular in North Carolina. At a meeting in June, the guys at Revolution 552 set up an impromptu golf outing for the next week. They had so much fun that they decided to give everyone more notice next time. I can see it now -- stated communication first and third Thursday, golf second and fourth. -- The Bi-Monthly Newsletter of Revolution Lodge. P.P. Turner 746 is handing out a "handshake award" to one lucky Mason at each meeting. Perhaps a better gift, at least for the officers, is dispensing with tuxedos during the July and August heat. Their comment that it gets "a mite stuffy in the tux" is a mite more than understatement. -- Trestleboard. PAW CREEK West Gate 738 went two units over their 50 unit goal when they sponsored a blood drive in June. For members of the leisure class, West Gate offers the Seasoned Sitizens Golf Association. The semi-organized competition is open to all interested members, without regard to skill level. Fresh, easy meat is especially welcome. -- West Gate Lodge. WILMINGTON Orient 395 held its first communication at their new home on Shipyard Boulevard June 1. Congratulations, guys. They'll be joined there by the Wilmington York Rite Bodies. If you need to contact St. John's 1, don't use the post office box number. They have put a mailbox up at the lodge. Their new address is 4712 Oriole Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403. -- The Trestle Board. Wilmington 319 has increased its dues from $35 to $45. The new rate is effective for 1996. The yard sale there was a big success again this year. They raised $1,100 for Masonic charities. Wilmington 319 presented members John H. Edge and E.F. Knight Veteran's Emblems. They also presented Wilbur Ted Wright Jr. a 50-year award on behalf of his home lodge in South Carolina. -- The Wilmington Mason. DENTON They're sprucing up the building at Denton 404. They've installed new vinyl siding and gutters. -- Denton Lodge. GOLDSBORO Wayne 112 has developed a lending library the doesn't take up any space at the lodge. What they do is keep track of books members have at home and are willing to lend to other Brothers. The "library" acts as an intermediary in exchanging the books. Lenders continue to own the books. -- Trestleboard. ALBEMARLE The Stanly County lodges (Pee Dee 150, Stanly 348, Yadkin Falls 637, and Albemarle 703) along with some Shrine Characters helped at a countywide Immunization Clinic in May. They assisted setting up the facility and escorted and directed participants. The Shriners in animal costumes offered the little ones lollipops and a little distraction from the pain. Pee Dee Lodge was congratulated for having the most members on hand. Stanly 348 forwarded $160 to the Masonic Service Association for relief of those in need after the Oklahoma City bombing. If you'd like to help, more information is available elsewhere in this issue of The Mason. -- Stanly Lodge. SNEADS FERRY They've been fixing up around Stump Sound 733 with some help from their Eastern Star friends. There's new carpet on the stairs and a new sink and counter top in the kitchen. The officers are also using new aprons. That leaves them with two old sets. They're looking for suggestions on what to do with them. Ralph Levi was presented an honorary membership at 733's Past Masters' Night. -- Bulletin of Stump Sound Lodge. CHARLOTTE Charles M. Setzer 693 is taking a new pride in the lodge grounds. They are restoring the O. Hamby Friendship Garden. Other new plantings are being made on the 1.25 acre property. A new Masonic emblem and Old English lettering are currently on the drawing table for the outside of the lodge. -- Charles M. Setzer Lodge. Steele Creek 737 has a new address: P.O. Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241-7171. -- Steele Creek Lodge. SMITHFIELD Fellowship 84 had a Masonic Reunion planned for August. They invited widows, family, Eastern Stars, DeMolay, and Rainbows to share hamburgers, hot dogs, beans, and potatoes. Jimmy Narron recently presented a program to the lodge on the relationship between Freemasonry and astronomy. -- The Trestleboard. LAURINBURG Laurinburg 305 has been thinking for some time of building a new lodge. They decided in June to forget that and concentrate on renovating their current building. -- The Masonic Messenger. KENANSVILLE James E. Fulford and Grover Rhodes recently got their Veteran's Awards from St. John's 13. -- Bulletin of St. John's Lodge. FRANKLIN Junaluskee 145 has given Rufus Snyder his 60-Year Award for Masonic Service. Gordon H. Howard got his 50-year recognition. -- Junaluskee Lodge. THOMASVILLE Raymond Rothrock became Thomasville 214's ninth living 50-year member in May. -- Trestle Board. GARNER In August, Vandora 745 offered Basic Aid Training for youngsters between eight and eleven years old. The Red Cross program is designed to teach children what to do in emergencies. Materials cost the children five dollars each. -- Masonic Newsletter. SPRUCE PINE Vesper 554 began the never ending assault on grass and kudzu in May. The Beacon, suggested, "If you have an overwhelming urge to cut something down, don't wait for an invitation, just come on over and cut grass, weeds, or anything else that looks like it doesn't belong." Careful, fellas -- you know guys and power tools. -- The Beacon. BAKERSVILLE Members of Bakersville 357 recently donated a day's labor toward building a home with Habitat for Humanity. This is a worthwhile cause more lodges would do well to look into. -- The Beacon. SALISBURY Fulton 99 invited family members and prospective members to their Annual Family Picnic. They had the event at Dan Nicolas Park in June. -- The Trestle-Board. GASTONIA Gastonia 369 took a group of 22 to Oxford for St. John's Day. Craig Beaty got special thanks from the lodge for his work in making their chicken supper a success. Profits from the supper go to the Masonic Home for Children. -- The Trestle Board. GRAHAM Thomas M. Holt 492 plans a benefit auction for October to raise money for Masonic charities. They're looking for donations of items in good condition for the sale. Contact Jack Collins, Ken Qualls, or Rick Mann if you can help. -- The Hollar Log. DUNN Palmyra 147 is having a year that's hard to beat. They initiated 16 men in the first half of the year. Seven have been raised so far. Many of the new guys are already participating in the degree work. -- Newsletter. BESSEMER CITY Whetstone 515 will visit each member during its Masonic Charities Fund Drive this year. They will also take the opportunity to check and correct addresses. -- The Whetstone. MEBANE The next time you drive up to Bingham 272, you'll notice it's easier to get on and off the grounds. They've just paved the driveway. -- Bingham's News And Views. MANTEO The search is on for pictures and other items for the scrapbook at Manteo 521. It's never too early to start laying up archives. They voted to cancel their second stated communications in July and August. After sampling the summer traffic in Manteo recently, that's seems a reasonable idea. -- More Light. DENVER Daniel Thomas Maddux is a member of Albertville 430 in Alabama. On behalf of his home lodge, Denver 757 recently presented him his Alabama Award of Gold for 50 years membership. -- The Trestleboard. NEWTON GROVE Catawba 248 presented Doc Sinnett his Veteran's Award pin this summer. -- The Trestle-Board. CONOVER Conover 709 picked up $500 for Masonic charities with their annual Hot Dog and Hamburger Sale. -- Conover Lodge. MIDLAND Union 618 sent out a complete list of members' phone numbers in their newsletter. They asked everyone to correct any errors they found. They hope to make it easier to contact everyone when necessary. -- Union Lodge. SOUTHERN PINES Southern Pines 484 is making extra efforts to contact Masons who may have retired to their area. They want to invite them to attend their meetings and encourage them to affiliate. The lodge, and the York Rite Bodies that share their building, have decided not to build a new lodge at this time. They don't want to put the burden of a mortgage on the younger members. They won't sit on their hands though. They plan to restore the building and bring it up to current code. They also plan to put in a lift or elevator in to get the senior Brothers upstairs to the lodge room. -- Southern Pines Lodge. FAYETTEVILLE The Fifth Annual James H. Horne Golf Classic was the biggest ever. The Brothers at Creasy Proctor 679 report the most players and the most sponsors ever. They raised $5,600 for the Masonic homes. They credited the success to the team effort, and thanked their many lodge volunteers and 52 tournament sponsors. The Fayetteville Masonic Center is trying out an electronic message line. By calling a single number, you can get information about Creasy Proctor 679, John Huske Anderson 731, Clifford Duell 756, Fayetteville York Rite Bodies, or the Masonic Center office. You'll also be able to leave messages for individual groups. The computerized system is being tried out for six months. Their number is (910) 484-2651. -- The Trestle Board. RALEIGH Millbrook 97 is planning a golf tournament for the 25th District. Early plans were to hold the event at Wendell Country Club September 15. Call Leo Spaanbroek or Johnnie Hayes for details. Bill Parr and Par Ward got plaques from Millbrook 97 thanking them for their coaching work. The lodge gave Andy Barefoot a medallion for his service at their spring barbecue. -- Millbrook Messenger. WILKESBORO Liberty 45 has added an artistic touch at their back door. Thanks to John Cranor there's a new back sidewalk with an inscribed Masonic emblem. Mt. Pleasant 573 put a new coat of paint inside the lodge during a recent clean up Saturday. -- Liberty at Large. EDENTON Unanimity 7 took a five-car parade up to Virginia's Lake Drummond Lodge this summer. They had a country ham dinner before they put on their ritual show for the Virginians. After the degree, Lake Drummond surprised them by bringing up an especially brave new Master Mason for his catechism examination. Lake Drummond will cross the border October 26 to exemplify the second section of the Third Degree at Unanimity 7. -- The Trestle Board. BEAUFORT Franklin 109 gave Veteran's Awards to four of their members this year. Doily Fulcher, Gardner Bryan Gillikin, David Owen Dickinson, and Halsey Ward Salter. They went all the way to Virginia Beach to present Salter's. -- Cleon Davis, master, Franklin 109. ASHEVILLE Biltmore 446 hosted their lodge widows in June. The Masons fixed and served the meal themselves. After supper, they had a program on crime prevention and how the ladies could help the police and protect themselves. TROY When Paul Everette Coble's family called to ask Troy 718 to do a Masonic funeral service for Coble, they asked something unusual. They wanted the lodge to take charge of the entire service, not just the graveside portion. No problem. Lodge Master Bobby Hall conducted the service at the funeral home's chapel. H.V. Massengill took over at the graveside. -- Danny Morris, secretary, Troy 718. WEAVERVILLE Masons of Blackmer 170 attended Memorial Day services at Weaverville United Methodist Church. They were there to honor the deceased Masons of their lodge, town, and district. Rev. Daniel Bowers, of Blackmer 170, said in a short address to the church, "Shakespeare said that the evil which men do lives after them and the good is oft interred with their bones. But we, as Masons, believe that the soul of man is immortal and that the good deeds of this life continue to bless the community long after the physical departure of our Loved one. Today, our presence here pays tribute and honor to the memory of our departed Brothers." -- James F. Parker, secretary, Blackmer 170. ****************************************************** ****************************************************** MSA ASKS HELP FOR BOMBING VICTIMS Just as the last issue of The North Carolina Mason went to press, the Masonic Service Association asked assistance for victims of the tragic bombing in Oklahoma City. It was too late for us to pass the appeal along to you. The physical and psychological needs of the victims there will go on for some time. It's not too late for you to help. You may mark your check for Oklahoma City relief. Every penny collected goes to helping victims. Send your check to The Masonic Service Association, 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Springs, Maryland 20910-4785. ENCOMPASSING THE WORLD MASONIC NEWS FROM OTHER GRAND JURISDICTIONS INDIA TESTS NON-ENGLISH RITUAL INDIA -- Hyperbad 50 recently demonstrated a Ceremony of Initiation entirely in the Urdu language. Many present believe the ritual done in an Indian language helps promote understanding by members. Lodge Hyperbad is believed to be the only lodge in India working in any language other than English. India is a larger, more populous place than most Americans understand. No one is sure how many languages there are in the country. There are about 20 different languages and some 800 dialects or variations on those tongues. The situation has had profound social and political ramifications on the country. India was part of the British Empire for nearly 100 years. Anything associated with the British was therefor associated with the ruling class and gained importance. Speaking English came to mean that one was well-educated. So, to get a good job and move into the middle class, it was necessary to speak English. Men took up the European fashion in clothes. Even today, the mores of India are essentially those of Victorian England. Freemasonry was one of the English traditions adopted by India's men. English language became a unifying factor for the linguistically splintered nation. When India won its independence in 1947, they decided to keep English as the official government language until the 1960s when it would be replaced by Hindi. English though was the only common language among the states. Resistance has always been met when talk turned to changing the official language. Many doubt that it will ever be changed. The British introduced Freemasonry to India. The degrees and communications have always been worked in English. The language is as much a tradition in the lodge as in the government. Urdu is a dialect of Hindustani, similar to Hindi. The degree work of Hyperbad 50 is reported to be most impressive. Whether their use of Urdu will affect the direction of the Grand Lodge of India remains to be seen. In New Delhi, Masons are building a Masonic Public School. Land has been acquired and the cornerstone for the building laid. The school is operating in temporary quarters until completion. -- Grand Lodge of India Newsletter, with special thanks to David Courtney. PA HOLDS GM'S DAY PENNSYLVANIA -- The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania scheduled a big Masonic celebration for August 26 at the Masonic Homes in Elizabethtown. Grand Master's Day was to feature all day entertainment and food. Clowns, jugglers, skydivers, chanters, and bands of every sort were to perform. Most taste buds should have found something to suit on the menu which included sausage, sauerkraut, hot dogs, baked beans, and vegetables with dip. Bus tours of campus facilities were offered throughout the day. -- The Pennsylvania Freemason. OBLIGATION CHANGE RECOMMENDED IN VERMONT VERMONT -- The Ritual Committee of the Grand Lodge of Vermont has recommended that the ancient penalties be moved from the obligation to the master's address to the candidate immediately after the obligation. They hold that the penalties detract from the solemn nature of the oath. They cite The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Richard P. Thorn. In it Thorn reports that at his initiation, "The obligation amused me and I had to smother a laugh." At Vermont's midyear assembly of District Deputy Grand Masters, Grand Chaplain David J. Dean said that they "should either remove the Holy Gospel from the altar or move the bloody penalties from the obligation." According to The Green Mountain Freemason, "He declared that the two are not compatible." Vermont already requires an explanation that the penalties of the obligation are symbolic in nature. Most changes they recommended were to clarifying floorwork. -- The Green Mountain Freemason. ND MAY LET EAS AND FCS VOTE NORTH DAKOTA -- Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts here will be paying dues to lodges if a proposed bylaw passes at next year's annual communication of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota. "Underclassmen" would be allowed to attend lodge according to their advancement. They would be allowed to vote on all matters except election of candidates and lodge officers. Lodges would pay per capita assessments on them. Lodges there may open stated meetings in any degree. The resolution got a majority of votes in June, but not the necessary plurality and so must lay over until next year's meeting. A preregistration fee of $15 is charged those attending North Dakota's annual communication. The fee is $20 at the door. -- The North Dakota Mason and Fraternal Review of Southern California Research Lodge. TASMANIA LOWERS PETITIONING AGE TASMANIA -- Eighteen-year-olds may now seek membership in Tasmanian lodges. They considered an amendment to their bylaws allowing Lewises to petition at the younger age. A Lewis is the son of a Mason. In some jurisdictions Lewises are given special consideration in petitioning. Feeling the move "discriminatory," they extended the right to petition for the degrees to all men 18 or over. -- The Tasmanian Mason. LOUISIANA GL TO MOVE? LOUISIANA -- Another effort is being made to move the offices of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana from New Orleans to property they own in Alexandria. Two previous resolutions to move have passed but provided no means of financing the change. The current attempt included authorizing a committee to solicit funds to help. -- The Louisiana Freemason. SIBELIUS MASONIC CONCERTS SET NEW YORK -- The Jean Sibelius Concert Series will feature four performances in October. The series celebrates the 130th anniversary of the birth of the Finnish composer and Freemason. Three concerts will be in New York and one in Virginia. The Sixth District Association of Manhattan and Andrew Jackson 120 of Alexandria cosponsor the series. Programs will feature his best known compositions and the first public performances of his Masonic ritual music. The Administration Building of the Masonic Home Campus in Utica, New York will host the performances October 14 and 15. On October 18, the music will be at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. The finale is set for the Masonic Hall in Manhattan October 22. Net proceeds from the series go to Masonic charities in New York, Virginia, and Finland. Commemorative disks are expected to be available. For more information, contact the Sibelius Concert Office at (212) 268-5875. -- The Empire State Mason. LODGE ADDS MEETINGS FOR TOURISTS OREGON -- Tourism is influencing the traditions of Gateway 175 in Warrenton, Oregon. They have customarily not opened lodge in July and August because of vacations. It may be vacationers that give them reason to change that habit. They are located on the Pacific coast, near Oregon's largest state park. Thousands visit that park and two other large campgrounds nearby each summer. Gateway hopes to offer the Masons among them a lodge to visit while they are there. At the recent annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Oregon, delegates reduced residency requirements for petitioners to six months. They denied recognition to the Grand Lodge of Upper India, and grand orients of Brazil and D'Italia. -- Oregon Masonic News. CONNECTICUT HOME ENJOYS CENTENNIAL CONNECTICUT -- The Masonic Home and Hospital of Connecticut will celebrate its 100th anniversary September 22. They plan to expand on their usual Grand Master's Day to mark the occasion. Every lodge has been asked to send its master and wardens with a lodge banner. They will be joined by all Masons on hand in a parade on the grounds. There will also be a banquet and a play portraying then Grand Master Luke A. Lockwood's efforts to get the facility built. -- The Connecticut Square & Compasses. SC MASONIC LANDMARK RETIRES SOUTH CAROLINA -- H. Dwight McAlister, grand secretary of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina since 1968, retired July 1. His goal had been to work until he was 80 years old. He made it in May. Past Grand Master Ray Marsh has been appointed acting grand secretary until next annual communication. US Senator Strom Thurmond was presented his 70-year award in May by SC Grand Master Robert Pinkston. Thurmond was raised at Concordia 50 in Edgefield, SC in 1925. -- Masonic Light. CALIFORNIA INTERVENES FOR THE FUTURE CALIFORNIA -- "We have drawn our swords to fight for the future of our children and for the safety of our society," say the Masons of California. The sword they've drawn is a The Masonic Model Student Assistance Training Program. Student Assistance is founded on intervention. It aims to interrupt a "child's disruptive behavior by using available community resources." They then try to change the "behavior of those children who could be instruments of violence and destruction in the future." They keep legal and confidential records of at risk kids to maintain continuity of casework. How do Masons fit in? They furnish training for core teams at schools and then organize networks of those teams to add support and resources. The Grand Lodge of California has renovated several vacant cottages at the Covina Home for Children as an intensive, three-day live-in training facility for teachers. Up to 60 educators can attend each session. Covina offers a "peaceful learning environment" for them. The grand lodge only asks that administrators of represented schools be involved in the program and ensure that the teachers are paid and supplied a substitute teacher while they are training. California Masons pay all other expenses including meals, lodging, instructors, and classroom materials. In the first five classes this year more than 250 educators have been trained. The fall class is almost full and waiting lists already are filling for later classes. They have contracted for six courses next year. -- California Freemason. ALASKA TALKING WITH PRINCE HALL GL ALASKA -- Grand Master Henry T. Dunbar has started proceedings to offer recognition to Prince Hall Masonry. He and the Prince Hall grand master there have already met. They are appointing a joint committee to work out the details. He has asked Alaska's Masons to be patient for the two or three years he expects the process to take. Dunbar is also planning to conduct a one-day class to raise first and second degree Masons. Their proficiency requirements will be abbreviated. Full proficiency will be necessary before they may hold office. At their 14th Annual Communication, Alaska Masons reduced residency requirements for petitioning a lodge to six months, three months for members of the armed forces. They rejected having a single statewide jurisdiction for all petitions. -- Light From The Great Land. MAINE GL TURNS 175 MAINE -- The Grand Lodge of Maine is celebrating its 175th Anniversary this year. Their history through 1820 is already available and the second volume that brings them up to 1995 should be ready soon. Another book, Pine Tree Craftsmen, is a collection of true stories about Masonic doings and individuals from the past. At their 176th Annual Communication, the 196 lodges of the Grand Lodge of Maine will consider lowering the minimum age to petition a lodge to 18. They'll also vote on statewide concurrent jurisdiction and relaxing its no alcohol in lodges rules. -- The Maine Mason. WASHINGTON MASONIC CENTER TO TAKE MEDICAID WASHINGTON -- The Masonic Retirement Center budget adopted by Grand Lodge of Washington had a projected deficit of a half-million dollars. As an alternative to raising per capita tax by $20, they plan to begin taking third party payments. That means government-sponsored Medicare, Medicaid, and Assisted Living programs. They don't expect an increase in regulation. They think that any increase in paperwork will be largely in making copies of already produced reports. They doubt they will need to admit non-Masons to their facility. Grand lodge finances have kept the Washington Masonic Tribune on an unpredictable footing. For the next year the Tribune will be publish every other month. Ten copies of each issue will be sent to each lodge. The lodges are encouraged copy and distribute it to their members. Subscriptions will be available at seven dollars. -- Masonic Monitor. ARIZONA GETS 18-YEAR-OLD MASONS ARIZONA -- It's a little easier to petition lodges in Arizona now. At their recent annual communication they lowered the residency requirement from twelve to six months. They will also allow eighteen-year-olds to join. A resolution to extend that age qualification to Lewises and DeMolays was amended to include all men. A resolution to begin a dialogue with Arizona Prince Hall Masons regarding mutual recognition was withdrawn. The matter will be handled by a special committee. On the cash front, they increased per capita by four dollars. They rejected collecting a $25 fee from all new members for the Masonic Charities Endowment Fund. They also refused to allow third parties renting lodge facilities to serve alcoholic beverages. The printed lectures of the three degrees authorized at last year's annual communication were finally distributed to the lodges at this communication. Arizona is taking what they see to be the best of membership building drives in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma to make their own Friend to Friend membership program. Audio tapes and brochures will go to a committee of four in each lodge. Each member of the committee is asked to present them to one non-Mason friend each month. Additionally, a brochure and petition has been mailed to every Mason in the state to share with a friend he thinks worthy of membership. Arizona GM Al Metcalf expects to see 1,000 petitions from the program next year. "This could well be the program to turn around our membership drop," said Metcalf. Arizona has allowed discreet invitations to join the Craft for some time. -- Arizona Masonry. IDAHO ADDS PUBLIC OPENING AT ANNUAL MEETING IDAHO -- The 128th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Idaho September 21--23 will add an informal public opening to which wives and friends are invited. They hope to increase the involvement of wives at many Masonic functions statewide. They will consider letting regular business meetings of lodges be conducted in any degree a lodge wishes. This would allow Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts attend meetings. -- The Idaho Freemason. MINNESOTA GETS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MINNESOTA -- Daily operation of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota has been taken over by an executive director. PGM Bob Papas assumed the newly created position in May. Papas had been director of secondary education at a technical college. Grand Secretary Ray Schlemmer will continue to perform the ceremonial and bylaw prescribed duties of his office, but gives up the administrative duties. Jack Benson was installed grand master at their annual communication in April. Delegates voted there to reject sponsorship of Hope Lodge, a projected outpatient housing facility near the Mayo Clinics. Thanks to an approved resolution, Masons are now permitted to own ciphers or monitors not officially approved by the grand lodge. Previous regulations forbid the possession of many historic Masonic texts by even lodge libraries. Minnesota has allowed visitation with Prince Hall lodges for several years. They upgraded the relationship to full recognition at their April meeting. Excelsior 113 won the Grand Lodge Cribbage Championship at the communication. -- The Minnesota Mason. MICHIGAN STANDS PAT ON RITUAL Delegates to the 169th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Michigan weren't in any mood to change Masonic ritual. Shortened lodge closing ceremonies and removal of part of the Fellow Craft lecture were withdrawn before consideration. An amendment to allow stated meetings to be held in the Entered Apprentice Degree was ruled out of order. Attempts to reintroduce memorization of the obligation to requirements for advancement were rejected. They did put the canvas back into use in the second section of the Master Mason Degree. It had been prohibited in 1963 for fear of injury to candidates. An amendment to change language concerning the "supremacy" of their grand lodge was seconded and referred to the lodges for action. It would remove restrictions that prohibit them "recognizing another grand lodge within the jurisdiction of Michigan." It would presumably clear the way for establishing fraternal relations with Prince Hall Masons in their state. Their membership is over 72,000 in 418 lodges. -- From Point to Pointe. NO NPD AMNESTY FOR INDIANA INDIANA -- A number of grand jurisdictions are making amnesty offers to men dropped from their rolls for non-payment of dues. Delegates to the 178th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Indiana rejected such a plan. They increased per candidate contribution to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial to ten dollars. Darrell A. Veach was installed their 145th grand master. -- The Indiana Freemason. NEW ZEALAND PUBLICATION GETS UPGRADED NEW ZEALAND -- As part of the grand lodge effort to renew and strengthen Masonry in New Zealand, their publication New Zealand Freemason has a new look. It's no longer a tabloid style newspaper, but a full-color slick-paper magazine. Officials there said, "In all our deliberations it was recognized that a good quality magazine has the potential of being a most vital tool if we are to achieve the objectives as stated in the Strategic Plan. It is our only means of regularly communicating with all Brethren. As well as conveying to all our members the new direction we now seek, it also has the potential of influencing a wider public." -- New Zealand Freemason. ************************************************** ************************************************** THE BETTER READ MASON MASONRY UNIVERSAL... A PUBLICATION YOU WORK FOR Masonry Universal... is an unusual Masonic magazine. It is not a printed magazine but one that is published electronically, on the global communications system known as The Internet. It is sold using one of the few globally and electronically valid currencies -- information. Readers are offered a subscription to the electronic magazine in return for contributions to the magazine. The rates are not set to any exact amount. You don't have to write a certain number of articles to get a certain number of issues. The rates are set by the subscriber according to the benefit they receive from the magazine and according to their ability to pay. Masonry Universal... is designed to be a short read, that will giving the reader a simple point to mull over, a joke for the Festive Board, a fact or opinion to savour, or an announcement in a readily digested, easily remembered form. Masonry Universal... reflects the diversity of Masonic experience over all of the world. It has subscribers from Australia to England, from Chile to Singapore, from Italy to Iceland. It reflects the strange digital world of The Internet, a place where only ideas are important. The mundane details of a person's physical appearance, sex, age, weight, height, race, et cetera can occasionally be inferred from the words they broadcast, but are seldom relevant. There is a spirit of equality that gives every person the opportunity to state opinions and argue their case. There is fraternity too -- people are bound together by common interests, not geographical or familial accidents of birth. There is liberty; The Internet is frontier country, lawless and chaotic at times, exciting and instructive at others. A computer and a way to send and receive electronic mail by way of The Internet are currently required. E-mail "gordon@charlton.demon.co.uk" to get details on how to subscribe or submit articles. You may also find the paper at "http://www.gryffin.com/mu/" if you have World Wide Web access. POTS (That's Internet-Masonic jargon for "Parting On The Square." -- By Gordon Charlton, Eastcote 5515, Middlesex, England. At our deadline, Masonry Universal... announced that you can now get it in printed form. It will be available for sale for charitable purposes. For more information on the printed issues offer, contact Mike Hughes at "Mike@prntdrct.demon.co.uk". ON A MASON'S MONITOR COMPUTER NEWS MASONIC TRAVELERS' AID Masonic opportunities are growing in the computer world. You can meet other Masons for written discussions open to everyone. There are live online "Lodge meetings." You can find clip art, short articles, and lengthy scholarly studies of Masonic history. Limits are rapidly disappearing. On The Mason's Monitor will be an occasional column in The NC Mason. In it we plan to pass on useful information about the services and distractions available to you. We hope to carry useful tips on using The Scrivener lodge software as well as tell you about interesting places to visit online. If you're a Traveling Man who does lots of traveling, a national online service can be handy for more than picking up your e-mail on a local phone number wherever you happen to be. If you're an America OnLine subscriber, you can find Masonic Brothers in many areas before you even get there. The Masonic Forum Travelers Aid maintains a data base of online Masons who are willing to help you visit a lodge in their home area. Travelers Aid is maintained by Ted Fronefield. He distributes questionnaires to Masonic subscribers who request the form or identify themselves as Masons on their personal information files. People who have answered the identity questions may get references to Masons in an area they intend to visit. That can help you find lodge meetings and introductions before you get there. Because he maintains Travelers Aid by himself, Ted limits the service to AOL members. You are urged to e-mail "Fronefield" two weeks before you expect to visit. You should e-mail the names he sends you before your arrival. Remember to add Freemasonry to your list of interests in your personal information file. You are, of course, reminded that no computer can vouch for a Mason. Online discussions should never include Masonic "secrets." If Travelers Aid helps you find a lodge to visit, carry your dues card and expect examination. Join Travelers Aid, even if you don't plan a journey. A new friend and Brother may find you and your lodge. THIS MONTH'S OFFERING FROM JIMROD Q. WAXPILLOW This slow-moving Mason named Vance Went suddenly into a wild dance What happened was he And a mad bumblebee Were sharing the seat of his pants NATURAL ENEMIES? D.T. Zabecki is a member of Black Forest 901 in Lahr, Germany. Their building was home to a Masonic Lodge for over 100 years before it was taken over as Nazi Party Headquarters during WWII. The building was returned and is now a lodge of the American-Canadian Grand Lodge under the United Grand Lodge of Germany. In March 1994, Zabecki saw an initiation that rivalled Rudyard Kipling's initiation. He saw a Christian German and a Muslim Turk initiated by a master who was a Canadian Jew. Zabecki writes, "Think about it. In today's world of insane sectarian violence and hatred a German and a Turk stood side by side as Brothers before the altar of Freemasonry. A Jewish master administered the obligation to a German on the Christian Bible and to a Moslem Turk on the Koran, making them brothers in Freemasonry with both himself and the assembled Canadian, American, and German brothers present." In many places in the world today, such an event would be unthinkable. It was even more poignant for taking place in a building formerly under the control of an organization dedicated to hatred and intolerance. With the possible exception of the International Scouting movement, no other organization in the world today is capable of bringing together, as Brothers, men that some distorted minds would classify as "natural enemies." -- Newsletter of Black Forest 901 by way of the Grand Lodge Bulletin of Alberta. MEMOS FROM THE MASON When you've got a question you need answered by the Grand Lodge office, have you tried e-mail? You may find it quicker and simpler than writing or telephoning. Many questions are easily answered this way. Give it a try the next time. The e-mail address for Grand Lodge: 74131.3355@compuserve.com If you're sending something (other than subscription information) to The North Carolina Mason, try e-mail, too. It makes it more likely that our staff of one can send you a short reply. This is the best way to send an article to The Mason. The address The NC Mason is: RicC@aol.com or ricc@abaco.coastalnet.com NC Mason Deadlines November/December October 1 January/February December 1 March/April February 1 May/June April 1 July/August June 1 September/October August 1 Deadline for November/December NC Mason October 1 This is the Christmas and Thanksgiving issue THE TOOLS OF WAR Fifty years ago our Brotherhood was celebrating. Lodges were processing plenty of new members. Everyone was busy churning the wheels of the Allied war machine. Easily understood evil had shown its face in both the east and the west. We had united, faced our fate, and won the day. Greed, hate, and intolerance were the enemy. They were easily symbolized in caricatures of Hitler and Hirohito. Men who had served in combat understood the importance of trusting the guy next to them. Those who hadn't served knew the importance from looking at news reports and seeing the flag draped coffins roll into the town cemetery. Freemasonry offered a system of trust and knowing. It was a head start on knowing your fellow man before your time in the crucible of combat began. To those coming home, it gave an opportunity to continue the type of close relationships that had been so important in war. Greed, hate, and intolerance are still the enemy today. They are not so easily pictured now. We're no longer protected by the world's largest oceans. We see them across the street or in the office down the hall. When we're painfully honest with ourselves, we find them inside ourselves. The only defense is still trusting the guy next to you. Knowing each other is still the best way to survive -- you can't do it alone. Freemasonry offers tools as effective today as 50 years ago. It is up to us to take up those tools and continue to fight the enemy. We each swore to treat other Masons in a kind fashion -- that is our vow. We were encouraged to extend those same benefits to all mankind. In this time of need we must remember to embrace those teachings even more tightly. When you live your Masonry, it makes it easier for those you contact to behave the same way. They are more comfortable, relaxed, and disposed to act "Masonically." Kindness is catching. Freemasonry has long been a bastion of civilized behavior and defense of freedom. Greed, hate, and intolerance will likely never be defeated. They are an ugly part of human nature. Freemasonry continues to offer the tools to fight them. The victory of good is not ensured. It requires our ongoing struggle. Enjoy your Masonry!