MOSES PAUL LODGE #96 DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Free and Accepted Masons Dover, N. H.

November 2016

Organized Under Dispensation December 20, 1889

Chartered May 21, 1890

November Calendar

Event: Square and Compass Date and Time: Thursday 3

rd 6:30 pm at the Lodge

Dress Code: Casual

Cost: Usually less than $10.00

Description: Monthly fellowship dinner. Chili Night

Who can attend: All Masons and Guests

Event: Dine Around Club Date and Time: Tuesday November 15

th 6:30 pm at Patty “B”

Restaurant on Dover Point Road

Dress Code: Casual

Cost: Order from Menu: Web site: www.pattybs.com

Description: A Night of Fellowship outside of the Lodge, a good

time to introduce a friend to Masonry

Who can attend: All Masons and Guests

Event: Stated Meeting Date and Time: Thursday November 17

th Dinner at 6:30 pm

Lodge opens at 7:30 pm

Dress Code: For all jacket and ties and aprons

Cost: $10.00 for Dinner, Donation for Collation

Description: Fund Raiser Dinner by the Rainbow Girls, with

Auction ! Bring extra money to support the cause. Monthly

business meeting and program

Who can attend: EA’s and above

Event: Special Communication DDGM Visitation Date and Time: Thursday December 1

st Lodge opens at 6:15

pm, Dinner at 6:30 pm Labor resumes at 7:30 pm.

Dress Code: Officers Tux and Gloves, All others Jacket and ties

Cost: $10.00 for Dinner, Donation for Collation

Description: Fund Raiser Dinner by the Rainbow Girls, with

Auction ! Bring extra money to support the cause.

Who can attend: All Master Masons

District 5 Calendar

Event: Winnipesaukee Lodge Breakfast Buffet

Date and Time: Sunday November 20th 7:30 am-11:00 am at

Winnipesaukee Lodge in Alton NH

Dress Code: Casual

Cost: $10.00

Description: Famous Breakfast Buffet

Who can attend: Public event All are welcome!

Event: Visitation Morrison Lodge #90 Northwood NH

Date and Time: Monday November 28th

Lodge opens at 6:15 pm

Dinner at 6:30 pm, Work resumes at 7:30 pm

Dress Code: For all jacket and ties and aprons Cost: Usually less than $10.00

Description: Official DDGM Visitation

Who can attend: All Master Masons

Event: Masters and Wardens/ Masters Class Date and Time: Tuesday 22

nd 6:30 pm-8:30 pm Location to be

determined

Dress Code: Casual

Cost: Usually $5.00 or less for refreshments

Description: Masters and Wardens monthly meeting and Masters Class-

Topic TBD

Who can attend: All Master Masons

Grand Lodge Calendar

Event: Grand Lodge Semi-Annual Communication

Date and Time: Saturday November 19th

9:00 am -2:30 pm

Manchester NH.

Dress Code: Officers Jacket, tie, jewels and Aprons, all others

Jacket, tie and apron Cost: Varies depending on lunch and book purchases.

Description: Grand Lodge Semi-Annual Business meeting.

Current Dues cards are required.

Who can attend: Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens,

and Grand Lodge Representative required! All Master Masons are

encouraged to attend.

Moses Paul Lodge #96, Dover, NH

Officers & Appointments for 2016

Worshipful Master: David Akridge 603-781-4453

Senior Warden: John T. Pond, Jr. 603-978-8940

Junior Warden: Wor. George McGee 603-969-4766

Treasurer: Adam M. Hughes 603-335-3617

Deputy Treasurer:

Secretary: David Martinelli 603-749-8916

Deputy Secretary:

Representative to Grand Lodge: Richard Lapointe 603-905-9953

Chaplain Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney 603-776-1235

Asst. Chaplain Wor. James S. Miller 603-742-6691

Senior Deacon: Robert P. Johnson Jr. 603-319-8757

Junior Deacon: James E. Lewis 603-767-8698

Marshall: Wor. Donald Meserve 603-742-2845

Senior Steward: Brett Cossaboon 603-833-1492

Junior Steward: Michael P. Couturier 603-285-5580

Tyler: Richard Lapointe 603-905-9953

Organist:

Lodge Ambassador:

Historian: David Akridge

Finance Committee: Jean L. LaBrack 603-743-4066

Trustees of Charity Fund Wor Kristopher Furtney 2016

Wor. James S. Miller 2016, & 2017

John T. Pond, Jr. 2016, 2017, &2018

Widow’s Program Chairman: Vincent R. Puleo 603-491-1639

John T. Pond, Jr. 603-978-8940

Gates: #1-, Richard Lapointe

#2-,

#3-Wor. Donald Meserve

Representative to Evergreen Place: Kevin M. Schultz 603-953-5256

Building Assoc. Representatives: Richard Lapointe

Adam M. Hughes

Robert P. Johnson

Wor. Robert Corsetti

Public Affairs Officer: Wor. Kristopher G. Furtney 603-664-7920

Lodge Care Taker: Richard Lapointe 603-905-9953

Web Master : John T Pond, III 603-841-6113

MASTER’S MESSAGE

It is hard to believe that winter is upon us. The fall has flown by.

Moses Paul Lodge has been well represented at all of the

Visitations.

For those of you who may not have attended a Visitation in the last

few years, the format has changed and we are usually finished by

9:00pm and on our way. More importantly, there is always a

Masonic discussion by our DDGL, Paul Smith, and DEO, Dennis

Tuttle. This year they are doing the Master Mason Degree. It is

not a lecture. It is conversational in nature and more importantly, I

think it is safe to say that anyone attending walks out with “More

Light”. The next two Visitations are at Morrison Lodge on

November 28th

followed by our own Visitation on December 1st,

2016. Note our Visitation is taking place on our normal Square

and Compass night. Lodge is open at 6:15pm, go to refreshment,

and then receive the DDGM, David Cumming , followed by the

Program for that evening. This would be a wonderful time to visit

your Lodge if you have not been with us in a while.

In addition to our normal Visitation Schedule, six of us attended

St. John’s Lodge official Visitation in South Berwick, Maine. We

had a great evening, although some of us who had never been in a

Maine Lodge were surprised by some of the significant differences

in Opening and Closing the Lodge. So much so that we did a

program at our October Stated, noting some of the significant

differences.

As we approach the end of the Masonic year for our Lodge, we

have begun laying out plans for next year. We continue to have

significant decisions before us that must be attended to. I would

hope that we would have input for all Moses Paul members.

Elections will be held in December at our Stated Meeting. I would

encourage anyone that has any particular interest in an appointed

position to contact me. My contact email is in this Trestle Board.

A Masonic Thought

As we continue to improve ourselves in Masonry, we are

indeed improving life. We know from history that without

ideals to guide us, the garden of a man's life will not grow into

a place of beauty.

Stanley F. Maxwell

A Masonic Thought

A FAMILY AFFAIR

The Blue Lodge is the bed-rock of the Masonic family, yet there

are several appendant organizations which a Mason's family

members can join to share many more of their common interests

and activities.

Family-oriented activities include a range of social and

entertainment programs, family outings, and community service

projects, as well as numerous occasions for statewide or regional

travel.

Among the appendant groups for adults, both men and women may

be welcome as members, but women typically hold the principal

offices. These groups include, among others, the Order of the

Eastern Star, Order of Amaranth, and Ladies Oriental Shrine.

Groups for young people build self-esteem and prepare them for

citizenship through successful experience with responsibility and

leadership. Masonic youth groups include the Order of Rainbow

for Girls, the Order of Job's Daughters for young women, and the

Order of DeMolay for young men.

With many opportunities for growth and friendship, these family-

centered groups typically develop active social calendars, so the

"Masonic family" truly is a family affair.

FREEMASONRY: THE CRAFT

For centuries, millions of men of every race, color, creed, and

political persuasion throughout the world have found in the

Symbolic Lodges of Freemasonry the light to guide their search for

answers to eternal questions: What is the meaning of life? The

nature of God and man?

Freemasonry is a system of morality, veiled in allegory, illustrated

by symbols. Not a religion but religious in character, it is a

philosophy of ethical conduct which imparts moral and social

virtues and fosters brotherly love. Its tenets have endured since

man turned the first pages of civilization. They embody the

understanding by which man can transcend ordinary experience

and "build a house not made with hands" in harmony with the

Great Architect of the universe.

Yet Freemasonry can never conflict with a man's relationship to

God or fellow man. Sectarian religious or partisan political

discussion in a lodge is strictly prohibited. Every Mason stands

equal among his brothers, regardless of walk of life, and none is

turned away for financial need.

The purpose of ANCIENT CRAFT OF FREEMASONRY is to

unfold a message where "truth abides in fullness," invoking greater

understanding of the inward life and a spirit of fellowship in which

every Mason can also lead a better outward life.

BROTHERHOOD AT WORK

Freemasonry has been characterized as a fraternity devoted to high

ideals and admirable benevolence. Community service and

charitable work are, in fact, principle Masonic activities.

Easily the best-known is the world's largest single charitable

institution, the Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children and Burns

Institutes, which are located throughout Canada, the U.S., and

Mexico.

Other Masonic bodies support their own statewide and national

foundations for research, teaching, and treatment or rehabilitation

services for children with learning or speech disorders, cancer,

visual problems and need of dental restoration.

Masons everywhere assist distressed brother Masons and their

families. They also sponsor or support local projects ranging from

the recognition of the achievements of others to scholarship

programs. Masons support community volunteers and quietly

extend help for countless thousands - from providing a child with

shoes to assisting the handicapped.

Altogether, the budgets for these community services exceed two

million dollars per day, which Masons support without regard to

the Masonic affiliation of their recipients. With this spirit of

working together to serve mankind, brotherhood works well,

indeed.

A PROGRESSIVE SCIENCE

Once raised to the "sublime degree" of Master Mason in his "Blue"

Lodge, a Freemason steps onto a broad vista of opportunity for

fellowship and advancement.

First, concordant bodies of the York Rite and the Scottish Rite

offer ritual instruction for advanced degrees. Then, every Shriner is

a Mason first... as are members of other Masonic groups, each

serving a particular need or interest.

Advancement through these concordant bodies not only invites

participation in this Masonic network, but also promotes a more

comprehensive understanding of its sacramental system of

ceremonies, doctrines, and symbols.

A statewide Grand organization governs every Masonic body, and

all but the Blue Lodge have national governing councils as well.

These offer further opportunity for growth and responsibility.

No Mason is required to advance beyond his Blue Lodge or

participate actively in its ritual or business affairs, but those who

do so find personal fulfillment in the rewards of public speaking,

teaching, community work, and even music and the dramatic arts.

Whether their commitments are to Masonic ritual, study or

organizational and charitable work, most active Masons simply

speak of the camaraderie among trusted friends and a satisfying

sense of purpose.

ANCIENT TRADITIONS

Through its heritage in antiquity is unmistakable, modern

speculative Freemasonry was founded more recently upon the

structure, ceremonies, and symbolism of the lodges of operative or

working freemen stonemasons, who built the magnificent

Medieval Gothic structures throughout much of Europe and

England.

Dated in 1390 A.D., the Regius Poem details the charter of a lodge

operating in the 900s A.D. "Masonry" then meant architecture and

encompassed most of the arts and sciences. Because lodges held

knowledge as competitive secrets, only trusted, capable

companions were instructed in the craft - and then only by degrees,

orally and through symbols, because of widespread illiteracy.

In the late Renaissance, lodges of freemason began to accept as

speculative masons those educated men who were attracted by the

elegance of Masonic traditions for their philosophic expression. In

time they were passed through the inner circles.

Thus, the framers of speculative Freemasonry began to describe a

code of conduct through the symbolic nature of architecture and

the stonesmason's craft. Signaling modern speculative

Freemasonry, the first Grand Lodge was chartered in 1717.

Constituent Symbolic Blue Lodges were soon established

throughout the world.

The first Lodge in the Colonies was chartered in Boston in 1733,

and the first Masonic Lodge communication was held in the Ohio

Territory at Marietta in 1790.

Masonic Humor

A Word from the West.

Brother John T. Pond Jr.

Greetings Brethren

Time is flying by! Here it is November and Thanksgiving and

Christmas is just around the corner. We have had a very busy

October with several visitations, as well as our own meetings. I

must comment at this point that I only see the same 6-7 brothers at

our events. It is very hard to run a lodge with the same people all

the time. We need all our brothers engaged. We need new ideas,

and new strength in order to be successful. Over half of our Lodge

members live within the Dover area, and most haven’t been to

Lodge in years. If the Lodge has done something to turn you off

from Masons then you owe it to the Lodge and yourself to allow us

to try and correct the issue, but we can’t fix it if we don’t know

what the problem is. As we approach the holidays please think

about coming to one of the upcoming events, to renew your

fellowship with your brothers.

Veteran’s Day is November 11th

take time to thank a Vet for his

service.

This Month also is a time of Thanksgiving, a time to stop and give

thanks for all that we have!

The Holidays are a time to come home, so don’t forget your

Masonic home this year!

I look forward to greeting you in Lodge soon.

Stay safe Brothers and have a great Thanksgiving!

Fraternally

John T. Pond, Jr.

bears123@comcast.net

The Trowel

MASTERING THE ART OF LEARNING RITUAL by Bro. Graeme J. Beresford

It seems strange to me how the routine of something which we all

have to do in Freemasonry doesn't have any guidance given to our

Brethren. From our first steps into the Lodge room we see others

quoting, from memory, pages and pages of text, some better than

others, only to beg the question; "How can they do that?"

Well brother like everything else in the world of knowledge. If you

don't know the rules of the game, how do you expect you will ever

be able to play?

There has been countless experiments done with memory over the

years and many books written as well. I have two books which I

believe are useful for general memory, the second will I believe be

of best use to fellow Brethren.

This second book is nearly 400 pages long and so I wont be going

through it all in depth, just to offer a summary of part.

The core for our purposes is a method they term their MASTER

plan. Seems a good idea for Freemasons as you would agree it is

an easy word for us to remember.

This word is an acronym for the six steps in remembering. Our

purpose is to learn those pages of ritual.

M

The M is for Motivating your mind. If there is lack of purpose or

reason in anything you do then chances are you are setting yourself

up for failure right away. Ritual was not invented to confuse and

torture us, nor to show how some Brethren are smarter than others,

nor was it meant as a showcase for the ridicule of others.

Ritual is a means of teaching moral lessons. By memorizing the

ritual, you are remembering those lessons and it gives you the

basic tools to ponder these lessons for your own life. The analogy

of the ritual increases this capacity for learning from the ritual and

aims for a deeper understanding of yourself.

This is one of the goals for learning ritual. I believe it is one worth

remembering. Other Brethren tell me that after years in

Freemasonry that they still learn much from the ritual. The ritual

doesn't change much over that period of time, even if some

Brethren would disagree with me there, it is the individual who

changes and learns more as his knowledge grows. This growth

continues for the rest of your life. It never ends.

Other reasons for ritual include helping the Lodge with ceremonial

and to take an active part in the proceedings. Taking part and

working in this team can be very rewarding and enriching as you

work together for a common goal and to make that meeting a

success. A meeting with good ritual does leave a good impression

for listeners and does get them thinking about the lessons you have

learnt yourself.

Personal growth as a ritualist is also very important. You may have

your favorite charges under your belt, but then you stagnate by not

pressing yourself to take on new challenges.

We are all taken by the path in getting to that chair. It is a goal

placed before us and can be a challenge for some and a scary

undertaking for others. If you have in your mind a way of a

learning the ritual on that path, it will make the challenge more

appealing and less scary. Not forgetting that there is always life

after the chair.

So you want to learn ritual? What do you learn? If you are a newly

made Master Mason you might consider looking at the Inner Guard

and Tyler's work. You might also take on a small charge, see your

Director of Ceremonies for advice. As a rule for climbing offices

you should during your year, learn the ritual of your one up office.

Make full use of practice nights to fine tune your current work and

Lodge of Instruction for your preparation for the following year.

Yes at first it sounds like a lot to take on, and we still haven't really

started the memory process. At this point you should feel a hunger

to learn your ritual and to enjoy all that it will give you.

A

The A is for Acquiring the information. Firstly you have to get the

ritual into your mind. The memory has three ways of receiving

information;

Visual (Seeing/ Reading)

Auditory (Listening)

Kinaesthetic (Doing / Writing / Typing)

To get the most out of the acquiring of your ritual, you must do all

three. You must read the ritual. Read it by looking at it about 5

times. You will have made a visual impression of the words in

your mind. Then listen to the words as you again read the ritual 5

times aloud. Listen to your tone of voice. Look for the patterns of

expression as you speak. Then write or type out the ritual by hand.

Read and repeat the words in your mind.

Once you have learned your ritual at home, then comes the step

most often missed by Brethren. Practicing in the Lodge. But be

clear that at this stage you are not ready for a Lodge practice night,

but rather a Lodge of Instruction. Be clear of your cues in moving

to your place to deliver your ritual, where do you stand, how do

you stand, how do you trigger your first line? All these questions

need to be answered. You should have a place worked out where

best to sit. You should know when you should rise and move to

your place of delivery. You should know if you need to

acknowledge the chair. You should be able to face the Brethren

calm and collected. You should have your cue set for the first line

and be thinking a few words ahead of yourself as you deliver at a

slow, calm and steady pace.

Once you have acknowledged these steps, you can move on.

S

The S is for Searching out the meaning. Most ritual comes about

from events. They may be based on fact and can easily be

researched. Others are biblical and may require a depth of

interpretation and others are mythical and may only be known

within Freemasonry. One should take the time to discover

something about the ritual in its deeper meaning and the symbols

which it represents. It helps images to come to mind if you know

something of the background of the events which took place. Make

use of the libraries and Brethren who may be able to share material

with you.

T

The T is for Triggering the memory. When delivering ritual it is

important to ensure the sequence is known and kept. Once you

move into place and are ready to deliver your first line, you should

have it ready to go and be thinking of the next one to deliver.

Visualize the text on the page. See the next paragraph coming, feel

the tone of your voice as you deliver it. Feel when you are ready

for the next line.

E

The E is for Exhibiting what you know. First look into a mirror and

repeat your ritual as you learn. Feel confident that you can achieve

your goal. Speak at Lodge of Instruction and experiment freely

with how you are going to deliver your work. Then prepare for the

practice night already knowing where you should be sitting,

knowing what cues there are to rise and move into place. Have that

first line in your mind when you rise and when start delivering the

first line, have ready the next one to go. Feel relaxed and feel

confident as you have done the hard work and this is the reward.

R

Finally the R is for Review. Take the time to sit quietly and review

your ritual. Was it received well? Did you feel that you were

comfortable? What could you have done to improve the

experience.

Take note of these details and add them into your personal plan for

Mastering the Art of Learning Ritual.

Secretary’s Desk Thank you to all who have paid their dues on time! There are still 12 that have

not paid to date! Please make every effort to pay these quickly as the Lodge

depends on this money to be able maintain our building and pay the bills. If you

can’t afford your dues or have other issues preventing you from paying them

please contact me or any officer, we may be able to work out a solution.

To all members, the bills for 2017 Dues will be coming out shortly, there has

been an increase in the Grand Lodge Assessment of $2.00 which will bring

our Dues and Assessment to $120.00 per member for this year.

When was the last time you came to a meeting? We as your officers know that

your time is valuable and should not be wasted! The meetings are fun and

informative. Can’t remember the signs or you don’t feel you know anyone, don’t

worry, we are all brothers and will greet you with open arms.

This month’s education article is The Sponsor/Mentor and don’t miss the

Trowel Article What is...

Please visit our website www.nhfreemasons.org for upcoming events.

The District 5 Calendar at:

https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=5thmasonicdistrictofnh%40gmail.com

NH Grand Lodge Web site at: www.nhgrandlodge.org

Webmaster: dovermasons@nhfreemasons.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MosesPaulLodge96

NOT RECEIVING THE TRESTLE BOARD BY EMAIL???

If you would like to get it as soon as it comes out and save the Lodge a stamp

send your email address to bears123@comcast.net

MASONIC EDUCATION

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Thoughts on increasing Lodge Attendance

by Jordan S. Levitan, P.M.

Wor. Bro. Levitan was asked by M.S.A. to develop an update of

the October 1928 Short Talk Bulletin "Increasing Lodge

Attendance." This paper reflects the thinking which made his year

as Worshipful Master one of the most successful years in the

history of Norfolk Lodge No. 1. We thank him for his cooperation

in sharing these challenging words of inspiration.

At a gathering of Worshipful Masters, inevitably one will ask,

"How's your attendance holding up?" It is, for the most part a

rhetorical question.

The intent of this paper is to show that substantial increases in

attendance are possible provided the Master dares to be different.

This does not imply the need to experiment with so called "up-to-

date" methodology. On the contrary, it requires stimulating those

members we already have as well as those who will be voluntarily

attracted into our midst with pure and unimpaired Freemasonry.

The sooner we stop blaming poor attendance on the failure of the

Craft to modernize, the better.

The last substantial influx of new members into Freemasonry

occurred over forty years ago. Since then, many reasons have been

suggest for the decrease in attendance.

Members have moved away from the metropolitan area lodges.

Once in suburbia their become accustomed to more leisure time,

more holidays, and longer vacations. Some turn to service clubs,

where the results of their participation may be more apparent.

Others find that civic responsibilities take up their evening hours.

Family ties now take precedence over fraternal ties. For some,

longer work hours and the pressure of doing business at night are

contributing factors.

The majority, however, do not attend simply because they choose

not to attend. They are bored to tears with business meetings.

Those who are not ritualists find little inspiration sitting on the

sidelines listening to the same brethren perform the degree work

and give the lectures time after time. Their contentions are real and

cannot be brushed aside.

We live in an achievement oriented society that views ambiguous

programs with skepticism. Mediocrity no longer suffices. It's time

Masonic leaders stopped saying "something should be done" and

begin saying "I'm going to do something about it."

The call to the Master is the same today as it was when candidates

petitioned in droves: to create an atmosphere for intellectual and

spiritual growth so that the members know from experience they

are missing something by not attending lodge.

Merely to suggest programs that others find helpful is only part of

the answer. What may work for one lodge may not necessarily

work for another. Symbolic Lodge Masonry cries out for an

enlightened membership responsive to the Master who carefully

lays his designs upon the trestleboard. The approach, therefore,

includes preparing the members as well as the Master. There are no

shortcuts.

THE CANDIDATE

THE LODGE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE

The Masonic life of the prospective candidate begins with the

Lodge Investigating Committee. A committee that consists of one

Past Master, one line officer, and one member at large represents a

cross section of the lodge.

The Master who dispatches the committee to the candidate's home

with clearly defined directives takes the first step in laying a solid

and dependable foundation.

In its visit with the petitioner and his family, the committee should

emphasize what Freemasonry is and what it is not. Their

discussion should include the following:

1. The purpose of our Ancient Order is to build temples in the

hearts of men;

2. The pursuit of excellence is one of Freemasonry's noblest

aims;

3. Freemasonry is religious in nature, but it has no Creed or

theology and it is not incompatible with one's religious

beliefs;

4. Freemasonry has an obligation to the community, hut it s

not a service club;

5. Freemasonry stands for citizenship of the highest caliber,

hut it does not engage in political activity;

6. Freemasonry emphasizes one's obligations to assist the

needy, but it is not a welfare organization;

7. Freemasonry is not a benevolent society providing

insurance benefits; a Mason must make proper provisions

for the protection of his family in the event of illness of

death.

These and many other points are proper for the Lodge

Investigating Committee to discuss with the petitioner and his

family. This approach enables the petitioner to gain a better

understanding of our principles and purpose, and the lodge can

better judge his motives for seeking membership.

DEGREE WORK

Few candidates arrive totally prepared for the ordeal of initiation.

Even fewer receive a kindly briefing in the preparation room.

Whatever fears the candidate might have should be put to rest at

the outset.

Initiation requires a sense of reverence. It should be impressed

upon the candidate that he is about to enter a solemn and dignified

ceremony. Degrees must then be performed with a like measure of

dignity. Anything less raises doubts in the candidate's mind about

the worth of the experience.

The best way of' assuming that new members return is to not only

confer the degrees, but to also make Masons.

Through its appropriate committee, every Grand Lodge determines

the procedure for conferring degrees. The symbolic Lodge,

however, makes Masons at its own pace. There is a distinction.

And we should always remember that a Master Mason cannot be

made in three easy lessons. It takes time.

To the average candidate, the philosophical depth of the ritual is

overwhelming. He hears a set of references that he has never heard

before and phraseology he does not use in daily conversation. We

then compound matters by delivering the lectures immediately

upon conferring the degrees.

Clearly we have no reason to congratulate ourselves when a

candidate rapidly memorizes the catechism and receives his dues

card four weeks after initiation. So, why not slow down the

process. Dare to be different.

The Masonic Service Association is an invaluable source for

information to complement the degrees. An index of current

publications is available for the asking. The candidate who

receives good and wholesome instruction at a leisurely, informal

pace away from the lodge room is likely to become an enthusiastic

member who returns frequently.

There is an old Chinese proverb that if you are planning for one

year, plant grain. lf you are planning for ten years, plant trees. If

you are planning for a hundred years, plant men.

THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER

Knowledge Beyond Ritual Grand Lodges appoint instructors at all

levels to teach Masonic ritual. Few Masters, however, receive

training in how to conduct lodge meetings. Little is done to assure

that the incoming Master has a grasp of the history, philosophy and

symbolism of the Craft. The fundamentals of' lodge management

and good programming are rarely talked about in detail. For these,

lodge officers are left to educate themselves. Many never do.

Others start too late.

Prior to setting his designs on the trestleboard, the future Master

would do well to spend at least two years becoming a

knowledgeable Freemason. This is not to suggest that he must

become a Masonic scholar, only that he become familiar with the

writings of learned brethren--Joseph Fort Newton, Thomas Sherrod

Roy, H. L. Haywood, Albert Mackey, Robert Gould, Roscoe

Pound, Dwight Smith, Alphonse Cerza, Harry Carr, Conrad Hahn,

and Carl Claudy among others.

The Grand Lodge library is an excellent source for material, as is

the Masonic Service Association. There are, in addition,

outstanding Masonic publications in the United States. One is The

Indiana Freemason, which features articles on contemporary

Masonic thought as well as essays by distinguished Masonic

writers of the past. Membership in the Correspondence Circle of

Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, London, England, the premier

Masonic research lodge in the world, is recommended.

The Master who acquires a background in the history, philosophy,

and symbolism of the Craft understands the mission of

Freemasonry. Lodge attendance will reflect the extent of his

preparation.

SETTING THE CRAFT TO WORK

Setting the Craft to work implies more than initiating, passing, and

raising candidates. It implies that the lodge is a dynamic rather

than a static entity. The Master should encourage each member to

take part in the activity suited to his character or abilities and to

make sure there is an activity in which lie can participate.

In one particular lodge, a member rarely set foot in the lodge room

for almost twenty years. A Past Master remembered that the

brother spent his leisure hours interviewing applicants for

admission to a major University. The lodge wanted to start a

scholarship program for needy, and deserving students, so the Past

Master asked the brother for assistance. The rest is history. The

scholarship program has been a major commitment of the lodge for

fifteen years and the brother later served the lodge as Master.

Brethren involved in something they like to do value their

membership and return frequently. For those who like to putter

around the kitchen, help is always needed on the Refreshment

Committee. For those handy with axe, hammer , arid saw, there is

wood to be chopped or a fence that needs mending at the home of

an infirm brother or Masonic widow. The lodge publication

requires the assistance of brethren with writing skills. For brethren

with experience in fund raising, help is needed on the lodge

Charity Fund or Masonic Home appeal.

We cannot expect brethren to return to lodge week after week,

month after month, if not given a specific responsibility. With

nothing to do, sooner or later they tire of sitting on the brow of the

hill and before we know it, stop attending altogether.

PROGRAMS

The composition and character of the lodge are determining factors

in the selection of' programs. Masonry teaches that men of every

sect and opinion meet on the level. We aim for common objectives

among men with dissimilar backgrounds. The Master who

combines programs of' Masonic interest with fellowship and

establishes a continued line of communication with his lodge will

sustain interest and induce attendance.

Most Worshipful Dwight L. Smith, Past Grand Master of Masons

in Indiana, in his widely acclaimed essays "Whither Are We

Traveling?", suggests that Masonry should be a social, cultural,

and intellectual experience. A balance of all three elements is the

Master's objective in setting his designs in the trestleboard.

Programs for a typical year might include patriotic observances,

Ladies' Night, Past Master's Night, Founder's Day Observance,

Youth Night, Father and Son Banquet, lodge picnic, Mother's Day

Breakfast, and Masonic plays.

By the time he becomes a Senior Warden, a line officer should

have assembled sufficient material to begin looking around for

brethren to present papers on selected topics. Masonic book

reviews should also be considered.

The distinguished Masonic scholar, Most Worshipful Conrad

Hahn, observed ". . . the lack of educational work in the average

lodge is the principal reason for the lack of interest and the

consequent poor attendance in Masonry over which spokesmen

have been ringing their hands for at least a Century. "

The educational meeting is for enlightenment and fellowship.

Lodge business is not discussed. Ample time should be allowed for

those present to ask questions and make comments. Meetings .of'

this type usually last one hour and often the discussion continues in

the dining room at refreshment. A well balanced program of'

Masonic education includes films, video tapes, arid slide

presentations, some of which are available through MSA or the

Grand Lodge.

THE MEETING

Ask those who at one time regularly attended why they stopped

and the most frequent reply is, "The meetings are boring and much

too long. If the Master doesn't put me to sleep, the Secretary does."

Not all Masters are comfortable in the role of presiding officer.

However, there are steps the Master can take which minimize the

anxiety of sitting in the East.

One is to smile from within. A lodge senses devotion and

understanding from the Master.

Another is to control the meeting. The Master who looks to the

sidelines for a Past Master to tell him every move to make does not

have control.

Nor should the meeting come unraveled at the Secretary's desk.

Most correspondence read word for word can be Summarized,

including communications from the Grand Lodge. Usually,

whispering good counsel in the Secretary's ear gets the point across

without creating an adverse relationship.

Interminable introductions are the downfall of many meetings,

particularly when Masonic dignitaries are present. By the time for

the man event, the members are worn out from jumping up and

down to salute each group the Master paraded to the East.

One innovative Master said, "Enough!" Laying aside the manual of

ceremonies, he announced, "Brethren, tonight we are honored to

have as our guest speaker a distinguished Freemason. In addition,

we have with us two Past Grand Masters and several Grand Lodge

officers. In order that you will have an opportunity to meet our

visitors, we will dispense with the usual procedure for

presentations and salute you in a manner we trust is worthy of your

high office. "

Instead of appointing committees to present four separate groups

of dignitaries in the East with accompanying salutes and responses,

the Master introduced them at their seats Past Grand Masters,

Grand Lodge officers, District Deputy Grand Masters, and

Worshipful Masters. Other groups were recognized at their seats

without individual introductions. A forty minute procedure was

reduced to ten minutes, and the lodge enjoyed the extra time at

refreshment following the meeting. It came as no surprise when the

Master received an overwhelming endorsement for the way he

handled the introduction.

The festive board is an ideal way to divide a long meeting. When

there is an unusual amount of business to come before the lodge in

addition to the program, the Master would be well advised to start

the meeting one hour early, take care of lodge business, call off for

dinner, and return for the program. Those who want to come for

the business portion will be present, and no one complains about

having to sit through an overly long meeting.

Some lodges guard against lengthy meetings by convening two

stated meetings by each month-the first to conduct lodge business

and the second for a program.

CONCLUSION

Good attendance is the natural result of stimulated interest.

Stimulated interest is the natural result of preparation, planning and

execution.

First, the Candidate must be prepared to receive the benefits of

Freemasonry.

Second, the Master must be prepared to execute a year by planning

intelligently, communicating effectively, and conducting meetings

with dispatch, dignity, and diligence.

Continuity among line officers is required to sustain an increase in

attendance. Nothing kills momentum quicker than the failure to

follow an up-tempo year with another up-tempo year. Regenerated

enthusiasm becomes contagious. Word spreads about the

enjoyment of returning to lodge. increased attendance feeds on

itself. And Freemasonry's light burns brighter because the Master

dared to be different.

A Masonic Poem

What Makes A Mason?

By George H. Free

What makes you a Mason, O brother of mine?

It isn't the dueguard, nor is it the sign,

It isn't the jewel which hangs on your breast,

It isn't the apron in which you are dressed,

It isn't the step, nor the token, nor grip,

Nor lectures that fluently flow from the lip,

Nor yet the possession of that mystic word,

On five points of fellowship duly conferred.

Though these are essential, desirable, fine,

They don't make a Mason, O brother of mine.

That you to your sworn obligation are true-

Tis, that, brother mine, makes a Mason of you.

Secure in your heart you must safeguard your trust,

With lodge and with brother be honest and just,

Assist the deserving who cry in their need,

Be chaste in thought, in your word and deed,

Support him who falters, with hope banish fear,

And whisper advice in an erring one's ear.

Then will the Great Lights on your path brightly shine,

And you'll be a Mason, O brother of mine.

Your use of life's hours by the gauge you must try,

The gavel to vices with courage apply

Your walk must be upright, as shown by the plumb,

On the level, to bourn whence no travelers come

The book of your faith be the rule and the guide,

The compass your passions shut safely inside

The stone which the Architect placed in your care

Must pass the strict test of His unerring square,

And then you will meet with approval divine,

And you'll be a Mason, O brother of mine.

The Old Past Master Speaks

ANCIENT LANDMARKS

"I bought me a Masonic Manual today," announced the Very New

Master Mason to the Old Past Master. "Into what strange paths I

am about to venture I don't know, but I am going to try..." rather

shyly..."to learn some of the work.

"That is very commendable" agreed the Old Past Master. "You will

find it a fascinating study."

"But there are a lot of things in it I don't understand," went on the

Very New Master Mason. "For instance, in the charge to a Master

Mason the Master says, 'the ancient landmarks of the order,

committed to your care, you are carefully to preserve and never

suffer them to be infringed' and so on. But nowhere can I find any

explanation of just what the ancient landmarks are!"

"Well, that is a problem, isn't it?" smiled the Old Past Master. "If

you will get Mackey's Jurisprudence you will find a list of twenty

five, Roscoe Pound has a list of seven in his book of the same

name, Brother Joseph Fort Newton considers five is the number

and several Grand Lodges have lists up to fifty or sixty!"

"Do you mean to say there are no universally known and

understood list of ancient landmarks?" demanded the Very New

Master Mason.

"I do. There is no such list."

"But... but... but then how can we 'carefully preserve them' and

'never suffer them to be infringed?'"

"Well, it really isn't as difficult as it sounds!" smiled the Old Past

Master. "There is none, or hardly any, disagreement among

Masonic authorities on the fundamental Masonic law. The ancient

usages and customs of the fraternity are the same the world over

and generally recognized as such by all Grand Bodies. But a

'landmark' is something that cannot be changed, according to our

understanding of it. Therefore, different authorities have thought

differently about our ancient usages and customs, some saying that

such and thus, while ancient and honorable, is not a landmark, and

therefore can be changed, while others hold that the same custom

is a landmark and cannot be changed.

"The old manuscripts which give us so much light on our Masonic

forbears; the Regius, the Harleian; the Antiquity, etc., have various

charges, rules, regulations and laws. These are all very old, yet

many of them could hardly be considered a landmark; for instance,

one such old regulation forbids Masons to indulge in games of

chance except at Christmas! That would hardly do for a Masonic

landmark, would it? So just because a rule or custom is old does

not make it, per se, a landmark.

"On the other hand, much that is beautiful in our fraternity is new;

that is, it is less than three and often less than two hundred years

old. There was no Grand Lodge before 1717, and Masonry was not

divided in three degrees at that time, I believe. Yet many

authorities consider the division of the work into three degrees as a

landmark.

"So where doctors disagree, only the patient can decide!"

"There are a certain body of laws, usages and customs which are

universally recognized and regarded. From these, different

authorities select certain ones which in their judgment are

landmarks. Other authorities say 'no, thus and such is a law,

statute, rule, judgment, agreement or custom of the fraternity but

isn't a landmark!' Brother Shepard has just brought out a book on

the subject which gives the ideas of many authorities, writers and

Grand Lodges. What strikes me on reading it, is not the difference

in the lists of what are called landmarks, but the fact that all so

well agree as to what is fundamental in Masonry!

"Now it is a fact that we agree that the 'ancient landmarks' are

fixed and unalterable. It is also a fact that Masons themselves have

altered their own unalterable landmarks! The very fact that Grand

Lodges were invented, or discovered, or created, is a change in an

old, old custom, made necessary by change in times and people.

The issuing of diplomas was a change; for ancient brethren had

only the 'Mason word' to prove themselves Master. We do not

prepare a man to be made a Mason as was done two centuries ago,

nor is our ritual the same, nor our obligation the same; antiquarians

have even discovered where parts of our obligations came from,

and it was not from a Masonic source that all of them were

derived!

"But let not your heart be troubled! Masonry herself says of herself

that she is a progressive science. How can she progress and stand

still? Brother A. S. McBride than whom no more spiritually

minded or common-sense writer ever spread Masonry before the

Craft for their better understanding, asks the literal-minded Mason

who says nothing can be changed in Masonry, why not work in

Hebrew, since Solomon and his workman used that tongue? And

does Masonry suffer because the English of today is not the

English of the 17th century?

"I personally believe that the ancient landmarks which cannot

suffer change are few in number; a belief in Deity, a belief in a

future life, a book of Law on the altar, a secret mode of

recognition, that only men, of good character, can be made

Masons; these and one or two more seems to me to be real

landmarks. Other landmarks so prescribed seem to me... and to

many deeper Masonic students... to be common law, custom,

usage, rather than landmarks.

"But I only think these things. I do not try to convince any one I

am right, for those who decide have authority and scholarship

behind them. I follow where they lead. Bit Masonry teaches a man

to think, and so I do her no injury if I do think. And if my Grand

Lodge says forty-seven laws are landmarks, I keep them like

Kipling's Mason 'to a hair.' That I choose to disagree with my

Grand Lodge in my heart doesn't make me a law-breaker; only a

minority. And there is no harm in being a minority as long as one

conforms!

"Therefore, read your manual, learn your ritual, consult your

Grand Lodge records, and abide by the laws, resolutions and edicts

you have sworn to uphold. And when you have done that, tolerant

charitable Masonry says to you 'my brother, having done as you

pledged you would, you may now think whatever you want is

right!'"

Masonic Humor

Prospective candidate to proposer: "Oh do tell what happens at the

initiation ceremony".

Proposer: "Sorry I can't - its a secret"

Prospective candidate: "Come on - I'll be joining in a few weeks.

Surely you can tell me something"

Proposer: "Well there are are WALKERS, TALKERS AND

HOLY MEN"

Prospective candidate: "What do you mean "WALKERS"

Proposer: "Well they are the men who walk you around in the

Lodge".

Prospective Candidate: "What about the TALKERS".

Proposer: "Well they are the people who talk. To you and to other

people in the Lodge".

Prospective Candidate: "I see - well who are these HOLY MEN"?

Proposer: "Oh those - Well they are the ones who when they see

the Walkers and the Talkers say ... Ohhh My Goddd!!!!!

THE GREATEST WORK

Old Tiler, what is the greatest work of Masonry?" The New

Brother sat by the guardian of the door and pulled out his cigar

case.

"Persuading new brethren that Old Tiler’s need something to

smoke!" returned the Old Tiler promptly.

The New Brother laughed as he handed over a cigar. "I hope you

will smoke with me," he said, "But that wasn't just what I had in

mind. Masonry has so many different jobs to do -- I was

wondering which is the greatest." "Suppose you tell me what you

think these jobs are," suggested the Old Tiler. "I can answer more

intelligently if I know what you have in mind."

"Masonry teaches and practices charity," began the New Brother.

"I suppose the brotherly love and relief she teaches are among the

greatest of her works. She teaches men to agree to disagree, and to

avoid dissension while meeting on a common level. She teaches

brotherly love, which makes society run more smoothly and makes

us all happier. One of Masonry's works is education, since she

admonishes us to learn and to study. But I don't know that I could

say that any one of them is the most important."

"That is rather difficult," answered the Old Tiler. "Besides, you

have left out a number of things. Masonry helps us to make

friends-and surely in the struggle for happiness, friends add much

to the joy and take away much from the burden.

"Masonry helps men to come closer to their Maker-she does not

ape the church in teaching men how to worship God, but only that

God is, and that one can commune with the Great Architect

without sect or creed. She teaches sympathy and understanding.

She teaches toleration of the other fellow's views. Democrat and

Republican, saint and sinner, meet on the level in a lodge and

forget their differences in their sameness, lose sight of the quarrels

in their oneness. All this Masonry does for those who accept her

gentle ministrations."

"But that doesn't tell me which is the greatest thing she does,"

objected the New Brother as the Old Tiler paused.

"I don't think there is a greatest thing, except for the individual,"

answered the Old Tiler. "The greatest thing Masonry may do for

me may not be your greatest thing. To one man her brotherly love

may be the greatest; to another, the friends; to a third, the charity.

Doesn't it depend on the man?"

"You wouldn't say, then, that you think relief is Masonry s greatest

accomplishment?" asked the New Brother.

"For those it relieves, yes; and it often is for those who have

contributed to it. But suppose a man is engaged all day as a charity

visitor or a doctor or a Red Cross official. Relief by Masonry won't

be anything new to him. He must look elsewhere for the greatest

thing."

"Well, what is Masonry's greatest accomplishment for you, as an

Old Tiler?"

"Opportunity for service!" answered the Old Tiler, promptly. "It

gives me a chance to do things for my fellowman I wouldn't

otherwise have. I am an old man. I am not very active, and I have

always been poor. But in Masonry I can be active, even if not very

spry. Not having much, means doesn't seem to count. Now let me

ask you, what is Masonry's greatest accomplishment for you?"

The New Brother laughed. "I knew that was coming. It's sort of

hazy when I try to put it into words. But it is clear in my mind. The

greatest thing which I get out of Masonry, save one thing only, is

my kinship with the past. My sense that I am part of a living chain

which goes back into the years which are gone, for no one knows

how many centuries. I do what George Washington did in a lodge.

I see the same things Elias Ashmole saw. As I do, so did Bobby

Burns. I am mentally akin with the Comacine builders and the

Guild craftsmen of the Middle Ages."

"Back to Solomon and beyond," agreed the Old Tiler. "I

understand."

"Perhaps you do, but I can't make it clear when I try to put it into

words." The New Brother looked off into the distance, frowning. "I

feel a mystic sense of strength and inspiration from this oneness

with so many millions of brethren who have gone this way before

me-it seems to me that I have an added strength for my daily life

because I am a part of so great a chain. -

"All who love the Craft have that feeling," smiled the Old Tiler.

"But you said there was one other benefit which Masonry

conferred on you, and which you thought was the greatest of all.

What is that?"

The New Brother looked at the Old Tiler, without smiling. "The

privilege of talking to a man as wise as you," he answered.

A Masonic Thought

Brotherly love is not a tangible commodity. We cannot touch it

or weigh it, smell it of taste it. Yet it is a reality; it can be

creative, it can be fostered, it can be made a dynamic power.

The Master who has it in his Lodge and his brethren will find

that Lodge and brethren give it back to him. The Master too

worried over the cares of his office to express friendliness need

never wonder why his Lodge seems too cold to his effort.

Carl H. Claudy

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHERS

James M. Clark Brett A. Cossaboon

Larry M. Coward Robert A. Currier, Jr.

Samuel A. David

Robert B. Kirklin Ralph E. MacKinnon

Garfield L. Trumble, Sr

Brothers Fred and Barney enjoy their Lodge! How about you?

Moses Paul Lodge #96

Living Past Masters

Gerald E. Brown..…..……………..1965

Ronald C. Bartlett…..……………..1968

Donald S. Meserve..…………….…1972

Raymond E. Allen..………..………1975

William H. Carswell, II……1976, 77, 78

David R. Spiller…….………….1984, 85

Edwin F. Mitchell, Jr.………..……..1986

Anthony Zizos.…………………1989, 90

James S. Miller...1991, 98, 01, 02, 03, 04

John F. Torr…………….1993, 94, 99, 00

Stephen E Wawrzkiewicz…………..1995

Robert H. Stewart..…………………1996

Jay A. Edgerly………………………1997

William C. Hill, HPM……………….2003

Michael J. Mawson…..……………2005

George M. McGee III.……………….2006

Christopher Piehler……………2007, 2008

Robert D. Berry..…………………….2009

Kristopher G. Furtney…………2010, 2011

Vincent R. Puleo……………....2012, 2013

Robert J. Corsetti……………...2014, 2015

Brothers All

By Silas H. Shepherd

In the Lodge we meet the fellows,

Who, in other walks of life,

We would seldom ever contact,

And then perhaps in strife.

They are men of every leaning

Whom we good and honest call,

And the splendid thing about it

Is, that we are Brothers All.

They are men of every station

Some are rich and some are poor

But they all are full of friendship

And of service have a store.

We may differ in our methods,

But our objects we recall

And it binds us in a labor

And it makes us Brothers All.

They are men of truth and honor

Trusting always in the right

Seeking always further light.

What a power for perfect justice!

How can failure e′er befall

Such a firmly founded body––

For the Lodge makes Brothers All?