The Quarry Observer

Cayce Masonic Lodge #384 A.F.M

Monday, July 20^th – EA Degree

Monday, August 3^rd  – Business Meeting

Greetings from the East!

Brethren, Friends, and Family,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far—and doing their best to stay cool in this South Carolina heat! I also hope you and your families had a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July as we celebrated the 250th anniversary of American independence.

We have rescheduled our Entered Apprentice Degree for Monday, July 20. We will enjoy a meal together at 6:45 PM, with the gavel dropping at 7:30 PM. Worshipful Brother Julian Bevel will be putting on the degree, so I encourage everyone to come out, support the degree team, and help us give our newly made Brother a warm welcome into the fraternity. It should be a wonderful evening of fellowship and Masonry!

The Cayce Police Department Back-to-School Event will be held at Cayce Lodge on Thursday, July 30, from 4:00–7:00 PM. If you would like to volunteer, please reach out to me, and I will gladly put you in contact with the event coordinator. The event will feature a hot dog dinner, haircuts, giveaways, and other activities for local families and children. This is a great opportunity for our Lodge to support the community we are proud to call home.

During our last business meeting, Past Master Mark Pridgen shared a very special piece of history with our newest Master Masons. Brother Mark presented them with challenge coins that were given to him by his Past Master during America’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976—making these coins 50 years old this year. He challenged the Brothers receiving them to preserve the tradition and pass the coins along to another generation of Masons 50 years from now.

Brother Mark also presented one of these coins to me, and I am truly honored to have received it. God willing, I would be in my 90s when the time comes to pass it along, but I certainly hope to be there to continue the tradition! Moments like this remind us that Freemasonry is built not only on the work we do today, but on the traditions, lessons, and bonds of Brotherhood that we pass from one generation to the next.

On a lighter note, Lindsey and I are working on the details for this year’s Ladies Night! We are currently leaning toward a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) theme, and we are excited about the possibilities. Stay tuned—more details will be coming soon!

That’s all from the East for now. Stay cool out there, enjoy the rest of your summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone around the Lodge and again at our August business meeting.

 Fraternally,  Dustan Eberhardt, WM   

Greetings from the West,

I hope that your Summer has been wonderful and not too hot. It’s so wonderful to greet you all again. We will have an EA Degree Monday July 20th. Officer’s meeting Sunday July 26th. Looking forward to seeing everyone. We will be discussing a few things and discuss as well next year.

 Fraternally,     John Howell, PM, SW

Treasurer’s Note:

The Cayce PD Back to School Event-

I have talked with the Officer in charge and confirmed the date as  JULY 30 from 4-7pm.
Kids will be from elementary to high school ages. 
Someone should be there about 2pm to open the lodge and coordinate.

They will be setting up tables, chairs, bounce house and vendors in the parking lot.
Inside they will have free hair cutting.
This means the bathrooms will be used and we should have extra TP on hand.

They have asked us to cook the hotdogs for them.  They will provide all food and drink.
We should determine if we cook inside or outside. 

They were happy to accept our financial donation and I will take care of that.

I have also asked if anyone wants they can show up in costume, they said OK. The more the merrier.

I will become Fred Flintstone for the event.
Maybe some could find the Pikacu costume.

-Mark Hanslip, Treasurer

A Good Character

The desire to be better is one of the strongest hallmarks of a truly good man. Growth isn't about fixing a broken character; it is about taking full responsibility for your life, refining your daily habits, and showing up for the people you care about even when it’s tough.

Becoming a better man involves a few key, actionable focus areas:

? Take Responsibility: Don't avoid mistakes—own them. If you fall short, acknowledge it, learn the lesson, and adjust your actions for tomorrow.

? Speak Honestly, Listen Fully: True strength is vulnerability, not silence. Speak your truth with respect, and practice active listening without immediately trying to fix the other person's problems.

? Build Healthy Boundaries: Protect your time, energy, and mental health. Knowing when to say "no" allows you to show up stronger for the people and things that matter most.

? Align with Virtue: Define your core character traits (like patience, courage, and wisdom) and consciously practice them in your daily interactions.

Brethren, remember why we all joined this fraternity and let us spread that abroad in the world!!

Fraternally yours,

Wor. Bro. Julian Bevel

Senior Grand Deacon

Masonic education corner:

This month’s education: Why are the Entered Apprentice aprons worn with the “top turned up”? 

This is what Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry says:

“This mortar which has not been properly mixed for use, and it thus became a symbol of passions and appetites not duly restrained. Hence the Speculative Apprentice was made to wear his apron  in that peculiar manner to teach him that he should not allow his soul to be defiled by the ‘untempered mortar of unruly passions.” 

So while the operative Entered Apprentice wears his apron in a way that protects his clothing, the speculative Entered Apprentice wears his apron as a symbol of protecting his character.

Thomas Smith Webb says: "At the building of King Solomon's Temple there were 3 classes of workmen, and each class wore their aprons in a particular manner. One such class was the Entered Apprentices, of which there were 70 thousand, and they being bearers of burdens wore their aprons with the top turned up to prevent the soiling of their garments. Thus, you will wear your apron while laboring among us as a speculative Entered Apprentice, being ever mindful that while stains on the ancient mason's apron were a sign of praiseworthy industry, you wear your apron as an emblem of Innocence and are to keep it clean and unspotted before all the world."

Fraternally,

RWB Ian Strickland, PDDGM, Tiler

PRAYER LIST:

The United States of America

All the Troops, the Police and Firefighters, First Responders and all others who help protect and serve us, also all the Doctors and Nurses and others on the front lines.

Prayers for our Grand Lodge of SC, AFM

George Barber (surgery)

Jim Bickley

Wor. Bro. Julian Bevel and family

Linda Birchfield (Masonic Widow)

Debbie Boomer (health)

Bro. Bubba Burley and his wife

Scott Chattin & family (son’s health)

Michael Dembitsky (passing of Stacy)

Lindsey & WB Dustan Eberhardt (loss of her father)

Donna Gardner (WB Mark’s wife)

Mac Graham’s wife

Harold Griffith

Wor. Bro. Ron Horbal

Bro. D.G. Housand sister-n-law

Wor. Bro. John Howell, PM

Wor. Bro. Jeff Hutchison

Gary James wife

Barbara Jeffcoat (Masonic Widow)

Patti Lemaster (cancer)

Brother Nate Meyers (health)

Derek Montrose

David Powell

Betty Price  (Masonic Widow)

MWB Barry Rickman granddaughter & family (house fire)

WB Tommy Rivers and wife (Imogene)

WB Truett Templeton & wife (Chloe)

MWB Sam Tennyson

Connie Vaughn (widow of Steve)

Mike Vinson

Bro. Ronnie Watson’s younger brother

Please help us keep this list updated by contacting the Lodge; any officer or brother; or by e-mail:

caycemasoniclodge384@gmail.com

Cayce Lodge offers deepest sympathy to the family, of 60+ year member and Past Master Robert “Bobby” Douglas, (and especially to his widow Sally).