CanadianMason.ca

Source: The Grand Lodge of Manitoba

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the species known as Homo sapiens is his ability to communicate. The subtle nuances and wide variety of synonyms make it possible to develop a unique writing style. Indeed one of the attributes that is most marketable is the ability to communicate effectively. Yet today young people employ an electronic shorthand which stifles any attempt at literary creativity. Without a conscious effort our ability to express ourselves effectively will go the way of penmanship. We look back at Lodge minutes of a century ago and marvel at the beautiful writing displayed by our predecessors. True they may be almost impossible to read but they are written beautifully with a style and flourish unique to each secretary.

Each year we offer an opportunity for our membership to not only increase their knowledge of the Craft but to convey that information in a format that both the presenter and the reader will find interesting, entertaining and, heaven forbid, meaningful for him in his personal development.

The deadline is not until April 30th, 2009 so there is ample time to select an appropriate Masonic topic and complete any required research.

Next month we will disclose the particulars of the competition. We look forward to a number of interesting papers.

Source: Liverpool Daily Post

A MERSEYSIDE man has written a book unearthing the roots of what remains one of the world’s most mysterious and secretive of brotherhoods, the Freemasons.

Dr David Harrison’s The Genesis of Freemasonry reconstructs the history of the movement through its formative years in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, beginning with its connections to the medieval trade guild societies.

It also delves into the study of alchemy and necromancy which many of the early Masons indulged in, and which Dr Harrison accepts is one of the reasons why the fraternal organisation, with its estimated five million worldwide membership, is still treated with some suspicion today.

“But back then alchemy, the search to turn base metal into gold, was seen as a science not magic,” said Dr Harrison, 39, who lectures in history at the University of Liverpool as well as for the Adult Education Service.

“In fact, some of the founding members of the Royal Society in the 17th century, which became the bedrock for the development of modern-day science, were both alchemists and freemasons.”

One of them was Elias Ashmole, a Royalist soldier on the run who sought refuge in Warrington in 1646 where he was accepted to the Lodge there.

Dr Harrison said: “The Lodge was the only place where both sides of the political spectrum could meet. A place where Parliamentarians and Royalists could come together without literally killing each other, which is what they would have done if they had met outside. Issues of politics or religion were not allowed to be discussed within its realms, a principal that still applies to the present day.”

Source: EDP24

STEVE DOWNES

14 January 2009 08:17

It is a mysterious world which is usually only open to the initiated.

But yesterday the Norfolk headquarters of the county's 4,200 Freemasons was opened to the public for first time in years.

The opening, to launch the 250th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Masonic province of Norfolk, revealed a spectacular complex of pristine rooms.

Chessboard floors and colonnaded walls gave a hint of the intricate rituals that take place behind closed doors, and which give such a cloak and dagger feel to Freemasonry.

The doors were opened 250 years to the day since January 13, 1759, when Edward Bacon, MP for King's Lynn and Norwich, was appointed the provincial grand master for Norfolk.

Yesterday, the 20th provincial grand master, John Rushmer, was at the Norwich Masonic Centre on St Giles Street for the launch of a programme of events to celebrate the special birthday.

Civic dignitaries from across Norfolk attended the event, where Mr Rushmer presented £1,000 cheques to representatives from The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House and Swaffham and Litcham Hospice.

He also announced that he was asking Norfolk's 75 lodges to fundraise throughout the year to pull together £100,000 for the Norfolk Hospice Tapping House Appeal.

The lodges will also be offering 250 £250 donations to small community charities in 2009.

Other planned events include the 250th provincial grand lodge meeting in St Andrews Hall, Norwich, on May 28, a summer ball at Sprowston Manor Hotel and a service of thanksgiving at Norwich Cathedral on September 6.

Source: Williamson Daily News

WILLIAMSON — Sam Kap-ourales was mayor of Williamson for 20 years and continues to hold important posts on the state level, but nothing has excited him more than becoming Potentate of Beni Kedem Temple in Charleston.

Kapourales was installed as Potentate in a ceremony held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Beni Kedem Temple located on Capitol Street in Charleston, opposite the Charleston Civic Center. John Arbuckle of Lewisburg, a past potentate, was the installing officer.

Approximately a dozen members of the Tug Valley Shrine Club, of which Mingo County Circuit Clerk Grant Preece is president, attended the installation.

Perhaps the fact he’s the first Mason residing in Mingo County to become head of the Beni Kedem Temple accounts for Kapourales’ satisfaction with his advancement in the Masonic circle. He said he is ready to play an important role in one of the nation’s biggest philanthropic organizations.

The only other person from Mingo County to serve as Potentate was C.P. “Curley” Justice, but he had been living in Charleston for some time when installed in that office. The late Mack Hall, an educator of the Lenore area was elected as Potentate but died before he could be installed.

Statewide, the Shrine has 3,000 members. There are 10 local Shrine Clubs in the state, including Tug Valley Shriners at Williamson. This is one of West Virginia’s Masonic organizations.

“It’s a tremendous responsibility,” Kapourales said of his election as Potentate. He was earlier elected to the Divan, which is composed of what is referred to as a board of directors.

Source: Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan

Happy New Year to all of you. Here is hoping that you all had a safe and happy holiday season. We had wonderful fall weather but we have been paying for it recently. With the bitter cold that we have had, I sure hope that all who had to travel any distance were warm, comfortable and safe. I trust that Santa was good to each and everyone of you.

It has been my sincere pleasure to be present at many Officer Installations this fall and I have seen a lot of very enthusiastic Masons who really are trying to do the work with respect and dignity. We are hearing about many Lodges who are doing lots of Candidates, many of them are the sons of Masons. Just what I like to hear. I would like to see them all wear a Lewis Jewel like the one that I wear, which, as you know, is for Fathers and their sons in Masonry.

There is much excitement about the Human Rites Museum. More information is coming from Winnipeg on a regular basis. There was an article in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix on Thursday, Dec 11th. I hope that you were all able to read it. I believe this is a very worthwhile project and may help to restore us to the Glory of Yesterday, Today which will sustain us for Tomorrow.

We have put together a Public Relations Committee which will work in conjunction with your Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge of Manitoba. We will be pleased to receive a presentation from the Grand Master of Manitoba and his Senior Grand Warden at our next Board of General Purposes Meeting where we will get some more of the details.

Hope to see you in your Lodge soon. Remember if you want to see the Grand Master in your Lodge just contact the Grand Secretary and we will make ever effort to see that it happens. Happy New Year to one and all. 

Source: Wicked Local

Swampscott - Robert V. Jolly Jr. of Swampscott was recently installed a District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts and will preside over eight lodges in the First Masonic District for the next year.

The 232 lodges and 38,000 Freemasons in the commonwealth are divided into 32 districts, each led by a District Deputy Grand Master.

As a District Deputy Grand Master, Jolly serves as the Grand Master’s personal representative to the lodges in his District. Roger W. Pageau of Northborough was installed for the second of his three one-year terms as the 86th Grand Maser of Masons in Massachusetts and the head of the fraternity.

The First Masonic District is comprised of the following lodges, all chartered in Boston: Saint John’s Lodge (established in 1733), The Lodge of Saint Andrews (1756), The Massachusetts Lodge (1770), Columbian Lodge (1795), Mount Lebanon Lodge (1801), The Consolidated Lodge (1854), Winslow Lewis Lodge (1855), and Joseph Webb Lodge (1876).

Raised in Swampscott, Jolly graduated from Marblehead High School before attending Northeastern University. He is general manager of the Marblehead Municipal Light Department.

Jolly is a member of St. Mary’s Church in Lynn. He also served on Swampscott’s Finance Committee for six years.

In 1998 he began his Masonic career by joining Boston’s Mount Lebanon Lodge. He served as the Worshipful Master, or presiding officer, in 2006 and 2007. Masons use the original definition of “worshipful,” meaning “honorable”; English mayors and judges are still addressed as “Worshipful.

As District Deputy Grand Master, Jolly will be called “Right Worshipful.” In 2008 he was appointed Junior Grand Deacon by Grand Master Pageau. The Junior Grand Deacon is an attendant of the Grand Master.

Source: theBulletin

By John P. Connolly, The Bulletin

Published: Tuesday, January 06, 2009

A Washington-based Freemason’s lodge will be hosting a first-ever inaugural ball in honor of President-elect Barack Obama.

William R. Singleton Hope-Lebanon Lodge No. 7, of Washington, D.C., will host the ball in honor of Mr. Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden. It is the first inaugural celebration to be hosted by Freemasons.

Tickets are $65 per Masonic visitor, and $75 per guest from the general public. Proceeds will go to the Masonic Foundation, the charitable arm of the Grand Lodge of D.C., which funds various programs in the D.C.-Metro area. These programs include the Special Olympics, Child ID programs, Youth Leadership Development Programs, and other activities.

The lodge describes Freemasonry as “a unique institution that has been a major part of community life in America for over [250] years.”

According to the the lodge’s Web site, the list of noteworthy Freemasons includes George Washington, Paul Revere, Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, Teddy Roosevelt, John Hancock, Roy Acuff, Buzz Aldrin, Gene Autry, Gen. Omar Bradley, Ty Cobb, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry Ford and  Benjamin Franklin, among others.

John P. Connolly can be reached at jconnolly@thebulletin.us

Source: MassLive

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

By SANDRA E. CONSTANTINE

sconstantine@repub.com

GRANBY - When it comes to doing work with the Masons, the service group runs in Charles Ferguson's blood.

A 50-year member of the Mount Holyoke Lodge of Masons in South Hadley, Ferguson talked about his involement with the group recently at his home in Granby on Cold Hill. He joined the fraternal group to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Daniel D. Ferguson. His brother was a member of the lodge when Ferguson joined the organization.

Later, Ferguson's two sons, Peter C. and Karl F., followed his example by joining the Masons. Peter is a member of the Vernon Lodge in Belchertown, where he is the secretary. Karl is senior deacon of the Mount Holyoke Lodge. 

lthough he continued to pay dues, Ferguson said he was not very active in the Masons during a 10-year stretch about 30 years ago during which he was in the Air National Guard. He served in France and Libya.

However, he credits his sons, who are both in their 40s, with getting him more interested in recent years in taking part in the organization's activities. Ferguson has been chaplain of the Mount Holyoke Lodge since October.

"I like it. It's got spiritual overtones to it," Ferguson said of serving as chaplain.

As part of that, Ferguson says prayers at meetings and takes part in funeral services for Masons if it is requested.

Ferguson said he has always been a goodwill ambassador for the Masons and has been recognized over the years as a member of the group by wearing the ring and emblem given to members.

The Granby man was recently awarded the 50-Year Veterans Medal by Ronald E. Jackson, past deputy grand master, on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

Source: Wales Online

 Dec 19 2008 by Martin Shipton, Western Mail

THE appointment of a freemason as the head of the NHS in Wales was attacked last night as inconsistent.

Paul Williams left his post as chief executive of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust at the end of last month on a two-year secondment during which he will be in charge of the Welsh health service.

He is currently working a handover period with Ann Lloyd, his predecessor, who is retiring.

But a civil servant who contacted the Western Mail contrasted the appointment of Mr Williams with an earlier decision to block the appointment of Gerard Elias QC as the Welsh Assembly’s counsel general – partly because he was a freemason.

In 2004, Mr Elias, one of the best-known barristers in Wales, was personally vetoed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan after he was recommended for the post of top legal adviser at the Assembly by Civil Service Commissioners.

Mr Morgan’s refusal to appoint Mr Elias – and the revelation that he had unsuccessfully sought approval from the commissioners to appoint the candidate who came second, a former Labour parliamentary candidate – created a political storm at the time.

In response to allegations from opposition AMs that he had acted unreasonably in vetoing Mr Elias, Mr Morgan said: “I did not register any over-riding objection to the shortlist, although I did comment on the fact that one candidate, subsequently recommended for appointment by the panel, was a prominent freemason.

“My concern derived from the salience of freemasonry, reflected in debates in the standards committee and the Assembly as a whole.

Source: news.scotsman.com