TRESTLEBOARD

May 2001

Greetings Brethren:

It was Inspection Day. It was looking bleak. Two line officers had family crisis at the last minute and couldn’t make it, one of them was supposed to give the Charge too. How do you pass an inspection without a Senior Deacon and a Senior Steward? Easy! Just ask Worshipful Brother Darrell Garris with about an hour's notice to fill in at Senior Deacon, and give Brother Dave O’Dear about a ten minute notice to fill in at Senior Steward. These two fine brothers did one hell of a great job on such short notice, you would have thought they’d been doing those jobs all year. It's always good to know when the chips are down you can count on a good brother, even better when you can count on two. To Darrell & Dave, thank you! We had a great inspection and whatever we didn’t get right I ‘m sure was forgotten after that fine meal prepared by the Medina OES with the aid of our Tyler Bob Askew or visa versa. A great afternoon of fellowship was had by all. Even seen some faces that I hadn’t seen in lodge for a very long time.

The Grand Master’s Reception was held Friday, May 11^th. Of course the President of the 20^th Masonic District Association (a Past Master of Ebenezer) had to introduce the runner’s up to the traveling gavel, Ebenezer Lodge first, because to nobody’s surprise, Medina took the Traveling Gavel for the Inspection Season. We we’re given possession of the Gavel until next Inspection season, and we received a beautiful plaque. Now I didn’t notice it at the time, but it was pointed out to me that we did have more brothers at the Grand Master’s reception than Ebenezer, but who’s counting. I have to thank those brothers who traveled with us throughout the inspection season, in particular those big point guys, our stewards, Fred Justice & Earl Woodhull, our LEO Edgar Harris, our Jr. Deacon Roger Thomas. Thanks!

A special thank you to Smokey Gregory. We were hoping to have a real candidate for our past masters to put on the Fellow Craft degree. Smokey, doing his usual fine job at coaching, made sure we had one. I’m sure the past masters are also quite grateful.

Table Lodge. We have been invited to a table lodge being put on by the combined lodges of Harrisville, West Salem, and Seville on 5/19, breakfast at 8:00. A table lodge is opened in the Entered Apprentice Degree so all Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts may attend. This is the first one I’ve heard about in the district for a while. This may be a good opportunity for you brothers who work the afternoon shift or can’t drive at night to get out & enjoy some fellowship. Reservations for breakfast must be called in by May 16^th. If you miss this one I’m hearing Ashland may be having one near the end of the month. We should be getting an invitation at our next stated meeting.

Free Breakfast: because of the table lodge on the 19^th, the breakfast will be held on Saturday, May 26^th. The turnout for these has been excellent, look forward to seeing you all there. As usual family & friends are welcome.

Golf anyone? 20^th District Golf outing is June 9^th. The combined 19^th and 20^th District golf outing is June 26^th, at Ashland’s Turk Pavilion, reservations by June 19^th.

St. John’s Day: Has been rescheduled to June 17th at 10:00 a.m. See Secretary's section.

Ladies' Night will be held on June21st. Dinner at 6:00 p.m. Entertainment at 7:00 pm.

Baseball Sponsorships. For you computer savvy types, look at http://www.medinayouthbaseball.org and you’ll notice a team in the 7 year old group named after our lodge. No coincidence, we’ve been sponsoring this team for a couple of years now, soon as they post a schedule I would like for us to go to a game so we can root for our team! We’re also considering sponsoring a team with the Medina Challenger Baseball which is for handicapped youth & maybe sponsor a picnic with the players. More details will be forthcoming.

DeMolay. Will be having their inspection soon, exact date hasn’t been set yet. Congratulations to Dan Bonfiglio who received the Grand Master’s Excellence in Youth Award at the Grand Master’s reception.

Rainbow, already had their inspection. Went well, good turnout & good inspection report. Congratulations to Nichole Bolton who received the Grand Master’s Excellence in Youth Award at the Grand Master’s reception.

During our Grand Master’ speech he did make a point that frequently we hear too many bad things about today’s youth, but very few good things. Perhaps we should do more to recognize the good our youths do.

Medina County Scottish Rite will be having their next meeting on May 23^rd at 7:00pm at our Temple. Cost to members is free, if you have a Learning Center tie, meal is free. Meal is $10 to others. WB Jim Gilbert will discuss his recent visit to the holy lands for entertainment.

Temple Board: New Electric boxes and dimmer have been installed in the lodge room; new electric box has been installed in the basement. And for those of you who missed inspection: the Lodge Room & dining room look great! Thanks to WB Dave Kurtz & Jr. Deacon Roger Thomas for all their hard work.

We recently learned of the passing of Brothers Clair E. Falconer and Phillip R. Barnes. Our heartfelt sympathy is extended to their families and friends.

Brother Nagavedu S Kripakaran received his Master Mason degree Saturday, April 28^th. The degree was conferred by WM Larry B Donovan. The degree lecture was given by WB Kenneth D Crouse. Gathered to witness the raising of Brother Kripakaran were forty-eight Master Masons. Representatives of the Grand Lodge of Ohio included the inspecting officer RWB Robert S Odon, RWB David W Calland, and MWB Daniel F Iceman Past Grand Master of Masons in Ohio.

Brother McCray, with the assistance of his coach, Brother Greg C. Gregory, made a special effort to return his Entered Apprentice Examination before May 17^th, knowing the Past Masters were in need of a Candidate for their work that evening. Their efforts are much appreciated.

Ladies’ Night (open to family & friends), Thursday, June 21^st, Dinner at 6:00 p.m.
Entertainment at 7:00 p.m.

(Continued from the March Trestleboard)

There is a saying that "Freemasonry is largely invisible." The whole of it is never found in any one place, or in any one time, or comprised by any one thing that it does. Much of it belongs to the inner life of a member, especially to his heart and his mind. Its charities may be published or reported, but usually they are not. When its spirit of benevolence and philanthropy makes an impress on a community it does so without proclamations or the ringing of bells. A Mason may encounter its friendship and fraternalism wherever he may be, at work or at home, and they will never be obstructive.

The practices and teachings of the lodge may at first glance appear to be bare and of an almost childish simplicity, but each one of them, or even one of the elements of which they are composed, will, when a man works his own way into one of them, begin to open out, to grow increasingly large, until at last they seem to fill the sky; they are inexhaustible. Large books have been written about a single symbol or a single law. One Mason may make the ritual his own specialty (many do). As the years pass he will find it always enlarging itself in his mind because in it are depths beneath depths and a limitless world of meanings; in all probability no Mason in history has understood it completely or followed it out to its last horizon. Another may study the fraternity as he would study history, philosophy, theology, law in a university; there are more such students than might be believed. Another may make Masonic law his own field; if he does he will never come to the end of it. Another may devote himself largely to Masonic charity and relief; if he does he is likely to find himself absorbed by it and will be giving hours and days of his own time to it. Yet another may find his own forte in such of the social arts as music and entertainment, all of which are rich, wide, multifarious. Alongside of all these special activities, and keeping pace with them, has been the vast growth of Masonic literature, in which it is estimated that some 200,000 books have been published in many languages during the past two centuries, and not including Masonic newspapers and magazines.

Our Masonic Duty
Robert Turney

F. to F. that we should go
When sickness brings a brother woe,
To cheer him on his bed of pain,
And nurse him back to health again.

K. to K. when e'er we pray
At early mom, or close of day,
A brother's name shall claim a share
In every thought and every prayer.

B. to B. thee still to keep
A brother's secrets hidden deep,
To all the world but us unknown,
And hold them sacred as our own.

H. to B. with firmest grasp,
Encircling arms and friendly clasp,
We should be found at duty's call,
To stay a brother's tottering fall.

M. to E. when e'er we find
To err a brother is inclined,
We'll counsel give in gentlest tone
And breathe it to his ear alone

Then F. to F. and K. to K.,
True brothers we should ever be;
With H. to B. and B. to B.,
Each striving still to do his best,
We'll whisper words of hope and cheer,
With C. to C, and M to E