Waller Newsletter 1006

Once again, the Liendo fundraiser is right around the corner. For both our lodge and Hempstead, this is the event that keeps us from having to raise our dues to $100.00 per year.

Thanks to a very generous brother, I have an endowed membership, so raising the dues wouldn’t hurt me personally, but endowments of living members, mine included, can hurt a lodge. What I mean is the lodge receives the dividend on the investment, from the Grand Lodge, which is less than the dues paid by the rest of the members. I’ve heard of some lodges, even some in this district, which send notices to endowed brothers, demanding the difference between the dividend and regular dues. It sounds rather drastic to me, but if a lodge has a large number of endowed members still living, the money to run the lodge has to come from somewhere. I will not be the one to suggest that Waller lodge ask for the difference, because I know how I would feel if I got a letter like that.

The best way to avoid raising dues, or being ask to pony up the difference in your endowment return, is to support your lodge’s efforts to get the money needed to run the lodge from the public. The people who attend the civil war re-enactment at Liendo will give us that money if we are there to sell them some bar-b-q. I say let’s take their money. The number of working hours per day, times the three days of the event, times the number of people needed to operate our concession, comes up to over 400 man-hours. There is a work schedule chart at the lodge, which has openings for you. I sincerely thank everyone who has already committed their time. I have signed up to work all day, all three days. Others have signed on for the same. I know not everyone can be there for the whole event, and I don’t ask for you to, but please come help when you can. Even three or four hours during the lunch rush would be very helpful. Participating in a fundraiser has other benefits, also.

The fellowship with your brothers is worth more than the money we take in. Well, maybe not more, but at least as much. By the way, a lot wives and other family members come to Liendo, too. Passes to enter free will be available for everyone who will be working at our tent.

The Law And Masonry
By Robert Fischer, 32° AASR

Concerning the oft-heard statement by some that Freemasonry is a religion, the Supreme Court of Nebraska, in deciding a case some years ago, used the following illuminating language:

"The guiding thought is not religion but religious toleration .... The Masonic fraternity refrains from intruding into the field of religion and confines itself to the teaching of morality and duty to one's fellow men, which makes better men and better citizens; "The distinction is clear between such ethical teachings and the doctrines of religion. One cannot espouse a religion without belief and faith in its peculiar doctrines. A fraternity broad enough to take in and cover with its mantle Christian, Moslem and Jew, without requiring him to renounce his religion, is not a religious organization, although its members may join in prayer which, in the case of each, is a petition addressed to his own Deity. Neither can the belief in the immortality of the soul be denominated religious in the sense that it is typical of any religion, of any race, or of any age. It constitutes one of the most beautiful and consoling features of our own religion, but it is equally found in almost every other. It is so unusual and spontaneous that it is not so much belief or dogma as it is an instinct of the human soul. Neither does it imply or require adherence to any system of religious worship.

"The fact that belief in the doctrines or deity of no particular religion is required, of itself refutes the theory that the Masonic ritual embodies a religion, or that its teachings are religious."

In Hammer vs. State 173 Indiana, 199 (1909) The Supreme Court of Indiana upheld a statute which made it a criminal offense to wear the emblem of any society or organization of which one is not a member. The court based its decision on the fact that membership in such societies is the result of fitness and selection and that the wearing of such emblems by non-members is a deceit and false pretense.

The Commissioner of Patents In 1872 ruled that the Masonic Square and Compasses emblem could not be used in any trademark or trade name for commercial purposes.

During the years that Spain was under the control of General Franco, Freemasonry was a "crime" and Masons were imprisoned for a term of years equal to the number of Masonic degrees possessed by the "guilty one."

The Liendo Plantation

Liendo Plantation was built in 1853 by Leonard Waller Groce, the son of Jared Groce, who was one of the largest most respected land owners in Texas. Originally a Spanish land grant of 67,000 acres assigned to Justo Liendo, the plantation's name-sake, Liendo was one of Texas' earliest cotton plantations. It was considered the social center of Texas receiving and lavishly entertaining early Texas dignitaries and notoriety's. Liendo was considered a typical Southern plantation, having over 300 slaves and being itself built by slave labor. Sufficient in all its needs; it was a self contained community. Like most Southern plantations, however, Liendo fell on hard times after the Civil War and changed owners several times thereafter.

Liendo had always been recognized for its warm Southern hospitality, but few people know that this same tradition of generosity probably saved it from destruction. Among the more notable statesmen and historical figures that have spent time at Liendo was George A. Custer. At the end of the Civil War, he was stationed at Liendo. It is said that both Mr. Custer and his wife were so impressed with the plantation and the gracious hospitality shown them during their stay, that they made sure Liendo was not harmed in appreciation.

Liendo was also occupied by world renowned sculptress Elisabet Ney from 1873 until she died in 1907 and by her husband Dr. Edmond Montgomery until 1911.

She and her husband had immigrated years before from Europe to the United States but had never found a new home until they found Liendo.

In 1960 Carl and Phyllis Detering purchased Liendo from Miss Willene Compton and began their 10 year job of restoring the plantation home. Traveling throughout the deep South and Europe, the Deterings acquired period furnishings and faithfully restored Liendo to its former glory. Liendo is recognized as a Texas historic landmark and is listed on the national register of historic places. Today, Will Detering owns and operates Liendo Plantation, raising Detering Red Brahaman cattle and continues the work of preserving and sharing this Texas landmark.

Liendo Plantation’s historic involvement with the Civil War is celebrated with a 3 day reenactment each year during the 3rd weekend of November .

Mixed Freemasonry

In the beginning the Great Architect created man, then Genesis placed woman in subservience to man. This distortion has been historically used to ensure male domination of Freemasonry. Mixed Freemasonry had difficult beginnings, and it was necessary to await until the 19th century to find organized “mixed Masonic associations” and the birth in 1880 of the great Scottish symbolic lodge (now no longer in existence) to tackle the problem of female initiation.

In spite of this considerable progress, access with our sisters to these improvements only goes back only to 1970, the year during which an English lodge (still!) of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, conferred the highest ranks. This date marked the end of the ostracism suffered during the last two centuries.

Nowadays, in the MIXED CHAPTER OF FRANCE, lodges are directed by sisters as well as by brothers, who can reach the highest ranks of the three Rites.

Originally created by brothers from the Great French regular lodge, the MIXED CHAPTER OF FRANCE gathers at its center men and women eager to work jointly in regular masonry, faithful to centuries-old purest traditions.

Directed by an elected Grand national officer with secret bulletin named “Grand Commander” of a college of Grand Officers, its articularity derives from Blue Lodges and workshops of improvement.

This is justified by a will to remove and prevent any superfluous directives by "calculating careerists". By engaging in our INITIATICAL project; by forbidding any political or religious social discussion, the MIXED CHAPTER OF FRANCE, admits any man or woman while shutting out those prejudices specific to the profane world. It obliges its members to respect the Old Charges

Regularity remains the subject most discussed by various obedience’s... usually with the aim of attracting the most candidates. However this regularity is by specifically individual definition. It is false to believe that a mason is regular just because they are connected with an jurisdiction known as "regular”.

On the contrary, a Lodge can be considered regular because it consists of sovereign lodges themselves formed by regular masons.

Which are the conditions of this regularity?

1- Establishment of proof that a brother or a sister “was made a mason” according to necessary forms.
2- That its way of thinking and its manner of living are in conformity with the obligations.

It is thus allowed to us to formulate that a mason is regular when it was initiated in accordance with the tradition, when he forms part of a lodge, and that he honestly satisfies his obligations contracted at the same time with respect to the latter, and of the command in general.

To recap - a lodge is considered regular when it consists of at least 7 regular master masons and works in the spirit expressed by their obligations.

It is moreover essential that this lodge obtained by regular Warrant the authorization to constitute a lodge (Grand Lodge of England, 1717)

The Treasurer's Corner
by John "Corky" Daut
P.M. Waller Lodge #808 A.F. & A.M.

I would like to add to the Worshipful Master's message. As the Treasurer and Junior Past Master of Waller Lodge, I would hope that my knowledge of the Lodge’s finances is, better then most and I would like to point out the importance of the fundraisers.

Maintaining and operating Waller Masonic Lodge for the past 12 months cost $8,800.00. Of that cost membership dues paid 30%, endowed memberships paid 13%, contributions and donations paid 25% and, fundraisers paid 31%.

It required all of the money from the membership dues and the endowed members payment just to pay the Lodge’s utility bills (43% of the Lodge's annual total expenses).

As you can see, without the fundraisers a small town Lodge could not operate.

This Month's Humor

Cajun Boudreaux

Boudreaux, the smoothest talking Cajun in the Louisiana National Guard, got called up to active duty. Boudreaux's first assignment was to the military induction center, and because he was such a good talker they assigned him the duty of advising new recruits about government benefits, especially the GI insurance to which they were entitled.

Before long, the Captain in charge of the induction center began noticing that Boudreaux was getting a 99% sign-up rate for the more expensive supplemental form of GI insurance.

This was odd, because it would cost these low-income recruits $30.00 per month more for the higher coverage, compared to what the government was already providing at no charge.

The Captain decided that he would not ask Boudreaux directly about his selling techniques, but would instead sit in the back of the room at the next briefing and observe Boudreaux's sales pitch.

Boudreaux stood up before latest group of inductees and said, "If you has da normal GI insurans an' you goes to Iraq an' gets you self killed, da governmen' pays you beneficiary $20,000.00.

If you takes out da supplemental insurans, which cost you only t'irty dollar a mons, den da governmen' gots to give you beneficiary $200,000.00! Dat gonna be ten time mo."

"NOW," Boudreaux concluded, "which bunch you tink dey gonna send ta Iraq first?"

THE CIVIL WAR

Can you hear the canon and rifle fire in the distance. It's November in Waller County and the war between the Blue and Gray is being fought again at Liendo Plantation.
But, the Waller and Hempstead Masonic Lodge Brothers won't be fighting. We'll be working in the mess hall to feed the the troops, the camp followers and the civilian observers and hopefully make a little money for our Lodges.
Our annual Liendo fundraiser will be on Friday the 17th., Saturday the 18th. and Sunday the 19th. of November. If you are able to work in the fundraiser, please volunteer.
If you aren't able to work, at least come by, enjoy the event, buy some great Bar-B-Que and say, Hi to your Lodge Brothers.

THE MASONIC RETIREMENT CENTER

The Texas Masonic Retirement Center, also known as the Home for Aged Masons, their widows, unmarried daughters and Members of the Order Of The Eastern Star is owned and operated by the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas, which has been providing quality, long-term care to senior citizens since 1911.

Have you ever considered moving to a retirement center? Don’t overlook the Masonic retirement center. Where else can a Brother or Sister turn their assets over to the center, even if it’s only a monthly Social Security check and be taken care of for the rest of your life including medical care. If physical changes after you have been admitted make it imposable for you to care for yourself, you will be transferred to the Clinic/Nursing Center with excellent 24 hour care.

Master Masons who have continuously been in good standing in a Texas Lodge working under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Texas or a Texas Chapter working under the jurisdiction of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas for 5 years preceding the application, are eligible. Also eligible for admission are the wives, widows, divorced or widowed mothers, never married sisters, never married daughters, and members of a Texas O.E.S. Chapter.

Just remember, because the Texas Masonic Retirement Center is an independent living center, all applicants must be totally capable of self care prior to admission, including but not limited to bathing, dressing, taking medication, etc.. So if you are interested, do not wait until it's to late..

If you may be interested in the center, please click here for details.

Why Did You Become A Mason?OK Brothers, would some of you share the story of why you became a Mason? I'm not chicken, I'll start it off.

DEAR DAD
In Care Of The Celestial Lodge
by John "Corky" Daut P.M.

To; Mr Wheeler Neil Daut
C/O The Celestial Lodge

Dear Dad,
December 1, 1993

I haven't talked to you in a long time. Let's see, it was on the 18th day of April 1982, the day before you died. I'm not sure if you will know about this letter, but it's the only way I know that may work. I can only hope that you can read this letter over my shoulder as I type and know that I would love to tell you in person. Not an awful lot has changed in the 11 years since you passed on, except we are all older. There has been one major event in my life however that I wanted to share with you.

I have finally learned the Secret of Freemasonary. No, not the pass words or grips, but the fact that if the teachings of Christ had never reached these shores, living up to the Masonic teachings would be the next best way to get to heaven.

Do you remember how excited you were when you became a Freemason way back in the 1940's? I still do. Your enthusiasm for attending lodge meetings always let mom and I know how much you enjoyed your lodge and the fellowship of your brother Masons .

I was just a kid, but I remember how excited you were when you were raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason's and how you rushed home that night with your white lambskin apron. Somehow, the idea of being excited about something for you to be buried with, escaped me at that time.

I remember how excited you were later when you went into the Scottish Rite and came home to tell us that you were now a 32nd. degree Mason . You bought a 32nd. degree ring and wore it with pride. You even bought the 2 volume set of Mackey's Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry to learn more about the craft.

I guess I always knew that you wanted me to become a Mason , but somehow I always fought against the idea. People (non Masons ) always told me, "Hey, if you're one of them Masons , you got it made. You can really go up in the world, get promotions and everything." Somehow that always turned me off. I guess I was young and had ideals. I wanted to get ahead on my own, without someone giving it to me.

In 1960, in the first job I had with the City of Houston, a new supervisor (who was a Mason ) reassigned me to work in his office and used my expertise about the department and my abilities to revise the operation of the department. After the work was finished and the supervisor had the credit in the Directors office for the increased efficiency, I was reassigned back to the streets and the supervisor brought the only Mason in the department to work on the inside. It not only hurt, but it proved to me that "those people" were right.

By 1974, I had long since transfered to a different department and been promoted first to a foreman, then to the supervisor over 90% of the department. My boss, the superintendent, who was a Mason, had promoted me over the other 3 or 4 Masons in our department. This changed my views on Masonry and I filled out a petition for the Mysteries of Freemasonry that year. As you probably know, for various reasons (including money) I kept delaying and never turned it in.

Later, after your oldest grandson, John Neil became a Mason, I could see the same excitement in his eyes that I used to see with you. His eyes seamed to ask, why aren't you a Mason dad? The answer was simple. Hey, I'm in sixty four years old, and it's to late for me to start something like that. But, I was still interested and read a number of books including "Born In Blood" by John J. Robinson. That book came after your time. John Robinson is a history writer,widely respected in his field, specializing in Medieval Britain and the Crusades.and was a non-Mason. He later wrote another book, " A Pilgrim's Path", where after 5 years of research at an advanced age, he became a Mason. I was very impressed by what I read.

Sometime afterward your youngest granddaughter, Becky, got married, In a conversation one day, I ask her husband Pete why he hadn't ever became a Mason . His answer was simple, "No one ever ask me to join".

I did know enough to know that he would never be ask. For some reason I took it upon myself to convince him that he should think about becoming a Mason. That's when he pulled the big one on me. "I will if you'll go in with me," he said.

After thinking about it, I decided why not. What better way could I help my daughter and her husband through life then by saying OK . . .

John was overjoyed when I ask him to get petitions for Pete and I. I know now that you would have been also, if I had ask you.

Anyway, that's what I wanted you to know. I was raised to a Master Mason in the Cedar Bayou Lodge #321 in December, 3 months before my 65 birthday. Then the next July, I went through the Scottish Rite and received the 32nd. degree. Not to long after that, I was initiated into the Shrine. And, not to long after that, I joined the Humble Lodge #979 as a dual member. It was a lot closer to home.

I have to admit that when I started learning the work as an Entered Apprentice, it was just a bunch of words that I had to learn to get through the degrees. By the time I begin learning the master's work, it happened to me. Somehow, as we progressed, the words grew into sober-minded concepts and those concepts evolved into an inspiration for a new outlook on life.

Now I wish it could have been at the Cade Rothwell lodge, with you, those many years ago, but somehow I think maybe you know that.

Your Son and Belated Brother in Masonry

John

P.S. October 2006
Hi dad, it's me again. A lot of time has passed and it's now the year 2006. I just wanted to bring you up to date. We moved to Pine Island 7 years ago on the land that was yours and mom's.

John and I visited the Waller and Hempstead Lodges after being invited by cousins John Garrett and Ted Wren Jr.. After a couple of visits, I demited from the Cedar Bayou and Humble Lodges and joined Waller Lodge #808. I also joined Hempstead Lodge #749 as a dual member a couple of months later. I think you would be proud of me. I was the Secretary for Hempstead Lodge for 6 years. I also worked through the chairs at Waller Lodge and am currently the Treasurer and the Junior Past Master.

The 710

Yesterday at the car dealer. A blonde woman came in and told the mechanics she needed to buy a seven-ten.

They all looked at each other, and one mechanic asked, "What is a seven-ten?"

She replied, "You know, the little piece in the middle of the engine. I lost it and need a new one. It had always been there."

The mechanic gave the woman a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of it wrote 710.

He then took her over to another car which had the hood up and asked, "Is there a 710 on this car?"

She pointed and said, "Of course it is, it's right there."

Actually, this was a test. You have all seen one but, how many of you shade tree mechanics know what a 710 is? Skip down to the bottom of the page to see one.

Mel Blanc

October 2, 1895 - April 24, 1974

Known as "the Man of 1,000 Voices," Melvin Jerome Blank was an accomplished bassist, violinist and sousaphone player. Early in his career he played in the NBC Radio Orchestra and conducted the pit orchestra at the Orpheum Theatre in Portland.

Avoice specialist from radio, movies and TV, Blanc was rarely seen by his audience although widely recognized as the voice of virtually every major Warner Brothers cartoon character except Elmer Fudd. He is perhaps best known for the voice of Bugs Bunny. Joining the Warner Bros. studio in 1936 (1937?), Blanc's voice was also featured as the original voice of Woody Woodpecker in 1940. The following year he was signed to an exclusive contract with Warner Bros.

His on-screen appearances were rare, but he had amusing moments in Neptune's Daughter (1949), Champagne for Caesar (1950), and Kiss Me, Stupid (1964); he also provided offscreen voices for Strange Brew (1983). His autobiography, That's Not All, Folks! was published in 1988.

Over the years, Blanc received many awards from civic organizations. Among them were the United Jewish Welfare Fund Man of the Year and the Show Business Shrine Club's first Life Achievement Award. One of Blanc's favoured charities was the Shrine Hospital Children's Burn Center.

Member:
Mid Day Lodge No. 188, Oregon

Cecil B. DeMille

August 12, 1881 - January 21, 1959
Director, producer, writer and actor, Cecil Blount DeMille formed an alliance with vaudeville musician, Jesse L. Lasky, and a glove salesman named Samuel Goldfish (later Goldwyn) called the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in 1913. In time he would be called "the founder of Hollywood", "the world's greatest director" and "the showman of showmen".
A prodigeous producer during the silent era, he continued to discover stars in the sound era such as Evelyn Keyes, Francesca Gaal, Paulette Goddard, Gary Cooper, and Charlton Heston.
He later appeared in front of the camera, playing himself in Sunset Boulevard (Paramount, 1950). He produced and directed The Greatest Show On Earth (Paramount, 1952), winning an Academy Award for best picture. His remake of The Ten Commandments (Paramount, 1956), his last film, was as big a hit as his original, 1923 version.
Initiated: October 16, 1646

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
May 22, 1859 - July 7, 1930
Arthur Charles Ignatius Conan Doyle was born on May 22, 1859 in Edinburgh. Best known for his writing of fifty-six short stories and three novels with Sherlock Holmes as the principal character, Dr. Doyle practiced medicine until 1891. He was knighted on August 9, 1902 for his work with Langman's Field Hospital in South Africa.
A prolific writer and an early proponent of a tunnel connecting England and France, he was also responsible for introducing downhill skiing into Switzerland, metal helmets for combat soldiers and the inflatable life-preserver for sailors. He makes a number of Masonic references in his writings, none of them key to his story development.
Initiated: January 26, 1887
Passed: February 23, 1887
Raised: March 23, 1887
Demitted: 1889
Rejoined: 1902
Demitted: 1911
Phoenix Lodge 257, Southsea Hampshire

The Funnies
I recently discovered an excellent source of cartoons that were printed in newspapers during the 1900's, 1910's and 1920's. I thought we might enjoy seeing the "funnies" our grandparents read.

The Order of the Garter

The insignia of a knight of the Order of the Garter.

It was the warrior-classes of the 11th and 12th centuries who first developed the medieval notion of knighthood and chivalry. The Crusades in the Middle East had released these men from the constraints of feudalism, and they expressed their new-found identity by the creation of military and religious orders of chivalry. The earliest orders were fraternities of like-minded men, drawn from a particular social class and bound together in a common purpose. Although still modeled on humanitarian and egalitarian principles, the later orders were fundamentally elitist. Loyal service to the monarch could bring the supreme reward of membership to such organizations and pre-eminent amongst them was, and still is, the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Of the origin of the Most Noble Order we know little. According to its historian, Elias Ashmole, it commemorated an occasion when King Edward III of England had "given forth his own garter as the signal for a battle," which Ashmole takes to be Cracy. A better-known theory associated the foundation of the Garter with a trivial mishap at a Court function, when the Fair Maid of Kent dropped a garter which the King, to cover her embarrassment, picked up and bound on his own leg, remarking, "Shame to him who thinks ill of it."
This fable appears to have originated in France and was, perhaps, invented to bring discredit on the Order. There is a natural unwillingness to believe that the World's foremost Order of Chivalry had so frivolous a beginning, and we may more readily accept Froissart's account, who tells us: "The King of England took pleasure to new re-edify the Castle of Windsor, the which was begun by King Arthur, and there first began the Table Round, whereby sprang the fame of so many noble knights throughout all the World. Then King Edward determined to make an Order and a Brotherhood to be called Knights of the Blue Garter, and a feast to be kept yearly on St. George's Day."
So the Order may have been intended as a revival of the mythical Round Table. King Edward and his court certainly reveled in the ethos of the Arthurian tales. Pageants, including jousting tournaments, became known as 'Round Tables' and knights even met around circular tables like that still to be seen at Winchester.
The informal creation of such an order of knights, after the great tournament at Windsor in 1344, appears to have led to the formal instigation of the Order a few years later. The exact date is controversial, as records are not extant, but St. George's Day 1348 seems likely. The members consisted of twenty-four knights, the monarch and the Prince of Wales. The two latter are always included; while women have been eligible since early times.
St. George has always been the society's patron and their home is the Collegiate Chapel Royal of St. George in Windsor Castle. Their heraldic stall plates, dating back to 1390, and colorful banners are still displayed there today.
The symbolism of the garter itself still remains obscure. A record of the Order, compiled in Henry VIII's reign, relates that Richard I during his crusade, gave garters to certain knights as tokens of honor, and it was supposed that Edward III followed this example. But the legend appears to have no good foundation.
Ashmole regarded the circular garter as an emblem of "unity and society." It was certainly a very suitable stylized heraldic device and, worn below the knee, was a prominent identifier on mounted knights. While Edward III may outwardly have professed the Order of the Garter to be a revival of the Round Table, it is probable that privately its formation was a move to gain support for his dubious claim to the French throne.
The motto of the Order is a denunciation of those who think ill of some specific project, and not a mere pious invocation of evil upon evil-thinkers in general. "Shame be to him who thinks ill of it" was probably directed against anyone who should oppose the King's design on the French Crown. And it is significant that the colours of the garter - blue embroidered with gold - are those of the French Royal Arms. Furthermore, no French knights attended the feast of inauguration. All things considered, it seems highly likely that the Order originally represented the assembly of chivalry to aid King Edward of England to become King Edward of France.

The Old Tiler Talks
Masons, both young and old can still benefit from the "Old Tiler Talks" stories that started in 1921. It's funny how these stories (lessons) that taught our Masonic grandfathers, are just as significant today as they were 80 years ago. The book with with 70 of the "Old Tiler Talks" stories and 2 other Carl Claudy Masonic books may still be purchased from Temple Books

Laughter
By Carl Claudy
From the Old Tiler's Talk - by Carl H. Claudy, The Temple Publishers

If I had it my way," began the New Brother, sitting beside the Old Tiler, "I'd make it a Masonic offense to laugh in the lodge room. We are not as serious about our Masonry as we should be."
"Someone laughed at you, or you are talking to yourself very seriously!" answered the Old Tiler.
"I am not!" cried the New Brother. "I take Masonry seriously! What we do in the lodge room has the sacredness of a religious ceremony. I can see no difference between the sacredness of the Altar of Masonry and the altar of a church, and when I go and see the beautiful windows, and hear the music and watch the choir boys come up the aisle, and hear the minister give out the solemn text- well, you know how inspiring it is. I feel the same way in lodg sometimes, during the more solemn parts of the degrees. But we have a business meeting first and sometimes someone cracks a joke and everyone laughs, and some brethren misinterpret and giggle sometimes in the degrees, and there is some ritual which isn't awe-inspiring and- and I think it should be changed!"
"Well, go ahead and change it!" cried the Old Tiler. "I don't believe that absence of solemnity is a Masonic landmark which can't be changed."
"Of course it isn't, but how can I change it?"
"That's your problem!" smiled the Old Tiler. "You are the reformer, not I. But before I wasted much grey matter, I'd ask myself a few questions. You seem to like things serious, so this should come easy to you. Then I'd talk to the Chaplain. David is young, but he has common sense."
"It would do you good to go his church. You would find it as solemn and beautiful as any other during the service. But if you went to a vestry meeting you'd see David grin, and maybe someone would tell a ministerial joke. I can't imagine God being displeased about it. Seems to me if he hadn't wanted people to laugh he wouldn't have made so many brethren to laugh at!"
"Brother David would tell you that there was a time to be reverent and a time to be happy, and that a church in which people couldn't be happy wasn't much of a church. Ever go to a wedding? Ever see people grin and kiss the bride when it was over? Ever go to a church social? Ever go to the boys' club in a red-blooded church?"
"It didn't hurt the church in their eyes, did it? Then why should it disconcert you to have a lodge room treated the same way? Get it out of your head that Masonry or religion is bound up in a room, or a building. It doesn't hurt so long as we don't laugh at the wrong time! It doesn't hurt the solemnity of the Masonic degree that our lodge room is first but a business meeting hall and afterwards maybe a dining room. It is the spirit in which we do our work that counts, not the letter; it is the temple in our hearts which must be kept sacred, not the mere physical confines of brick and stone in which we meet."
"That there should be no cause for laughter during the degrees. But to say we can't laugh in a lodge room is to get the dog by the wrong tail!"
"Masonry, my son, is joyful, not mournful. It should be filled with laughter of little children, the happy smiles of contented women, the loveliness of faithful friendship, the joy of flowers and music and song. To make it too serious for smiles, too solemn for happiness, perverts it. If God made sunshine and children and flowers, don't you suppose He wanted the one to dance with the other in the third? If He made happiness and human hearts, don't you suppose He wanted the one to live in the other?"
"Masonry is an attempt to live the brotherhood of man under the Fatherhood of God. The best of all human fathers can but touch the skirts of the Being who is the All Father. But did you ever see a human father worth his salt who didn't want his children laughing and happy?"
"There is a time for work and a time for play. There is a time for degrees and a time for refreshment. There is a time for business meetings and a time for ritual. There is a time for laughter and for joy as well as a time of solemnity and reverence. The one is just as important as the other."
"I wish just once," said the New Brother, "I could start something with you which I could finish!"
"Try offering me a cigar!" suggested the Old Tiler.

See You Next Month

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