Trestleboard - September 2005

ELECTED OFFICERS

Master
Theodore E Thomas
(330) 225-6643

Sr. Warden
Fred H Justice
(330) 722-6005

Jr. Warden
Robert D Fenn
(330) 722-4591

Treasurer
Dennis L. Lawson
(330) 225-2868

Secretary
Donald G Moll
(330) 225-6307

Sr. Deacon
Kevin E Askew
(330) 273-6798

Jr. Deacon
Scott E Buell
(330) 220-7370

Tyler
Bob J. Askew
(330) 225-8444

Trustees
Lloyd G. Egbert
William C Thompson
Roger A Thomas

Medina Lodge No. 58
F & A M of Ohio
120 North Elmwood Avenue
Medina OH 44256-1827
(330) 722-0382

STATED MEETINGS
7:30 PM
2nd Thursday Sep thru Jun
4th Thursday Sep, Oct and
Jan thru Jun

WEBSITE
medinafreemasons.org

TRESTLEBOARD

September 2005

From the East

Dear Brethren,

Here we are, almost over with summer and time to resume our labors. Our first meeting will be a stated one on the eighth of September and we still have some work to get accomplished, but more about that later. We had three events after we went dark in June and I'd like to update you on them.

The first was the celebration of St. Johns' Day on Sunday, June 26. This was held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on East Liberty Street just off the square in Medina. Brother, Dr. Eric Funston is the pastor and he was just raised as a Master Mason in Medina Lodge this past spring. We had 15 members and 8 ladies in attendance. A nice showing for a very nice service. It made one proud to be a Mason!

The second event was the Blue Lodge/Eastern Star picnic. Although we only had five people who said they were coming, we had 17 people show up - and it was great. Those of us who were there got to know each other and our wives or companions better and in a different setting than at a lodge function. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and many stories were told that brought a good many laughs. Sorry more of you didn't make it, we did have fun.

The third summer event was the Donut Hut at the 160th Medina County Fair. It was hot, hot, hot, but we still sold a few dozen donuts and lots of pop and bottled water. Most of the time we had enough help. We Masons had help from family members, Eastern Star, Rainbow and DeMolay. A huge thank you to all who contributed to helping make the year a success. We need to negotiate a new contract with the Fair Board to continue with the Donut Hut, but maybe more importantly we need to have two or three masons who are willing to step up and be responsible for running the Hut next year. Brother Bob Askew has borne the burden for the past several years (at least five I can remember) and would like to step aside. It is a lot of work but both Bob and I would be willing to help get some new people going on it. You do not have to be an officer to do the job, although it has traditionally fallen to the Jr. Deacon. If that doesn't work out someone else has to step up and fill the void. Please consider helping out next year. We need the income!

As mentioned at the beginning we will resume our fall meetings on Sept. 8th with a regular stated meeting at 7:30 P.M.. The following week, on the 15th, we will be doing two Entered Apprentice Degrees at 7:00 P.M. September 22, will again be a stated meeting at 7:30 and on the 29th we plan to raise one Master Mason. The first Thursday in October, the 6th, we tentatively have scheduled two Fellow Craft candidates. A good start for the coming year. Look forward to greeting many of you on September 8th.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Ted Thomas, WM

From the Southeast Corner

Pieces of the Puzzle
Dr. Roger M. Firestone. 32 KCCH
10159 Turnberry Place
Oakton, VA 22124-2847
http://mastermason.com/rfire

"If knowledge is a sacred cow, then our problem is how to milk her without being taken upon the horns."
--Albert Szent-Gyorgi, Nobel Laureate, discoverer of vitamin C

Many candidates complete three, seven, nine or even 32 degrees and feel baffled that they have not received any "real secrets" in their progress through Masonry. Of course, they have received those elements that enable them to prove themselves Masons and thereby be able to claim fraternal assistance and welcome throughout the world, but for many, this does not seem sufficient.

As I see it, this is because they have not developed a real understanding of what the degrees of Masonry are about, at least not early in their Masonic career. I offer the following metaphor: The degrees of Masonry are like a set of keys. The keys open a collection of boxes, but what we find in the boxes are a set of puzzle pieces. To the Mason with the keys remains the task of assembling the pieces.

Sometimes we find that the pieces in a box go together in more than one way to produce more than one picture. Sometimes, the pictures don't tell us very much, until they are placed in conjunction with other pictures from other boxes. And sometimes, one must take the step of mixing together pieces from several of the boxes to form a startling picture that could not have been guessed at by looking at the pieces of each box separately.

Assembling the pieces of the puzzle is the job of research into Masonic philosophy, and it often leads to insights and meanings that cannot be guessed at from a simple examination of the Masonic lectures and degrees in isolation. Real effort is required beyond the ceremonies of the degrees to obtain the knowledge which Masons seek. (This brief article appeared in the short-lived Masonic magazine IHMBRA.)

The Forget-Me-Not
The story behind this emblem of the Craft in Germany

As early as the year 1934, soon after Hitler's rise to power, it became apparent that Freemasonry was in danger. In the same year, the German Grand Lodge of the Sun in Bayreuth (one of the pre-war German Grand Lodges), realized the imminent problems facing them and elected to wear a little blue flower, the Forget-Me-Not, in lieu of the traditional Square and Compasses, as a mark of identity for Masons. It was felt the new symbol would not attract attention-from the Nazis, who were in the process of confiscating and appropriating Masonic Lodges and property. Masonry had gone underground and it was necessary that the Brethren have some readily recognizable means of identification.

Throughout the entire Nazi era a little blue flower in a lapel marked a Brother. In the Concentration Camps and in the cities a little blue Forget-Me-Not distinguished the lapels of those who refused to allow the Light of Masonry to be extinguished.

In 1947, when the Grand Lodge of the Sun was reopened in Bayreuth by Past Grand Master Beyer. A little blue pin, in the shape of a Forget-Me-Not, was proposed and adopted as the official emblem of the first annual convention of those who had survived the bitter years of semi-darkness, bringing the Light of Masonry once again into the Temples.

At the first Annual Convent of the United Grand Lodges of Germany in 1948. The pin was adopted as an official Masonic emblem honoring those valiant Brethren who carried their work on under adverse conditions. Thus did a simple flower blossom forth into a meaningful emblem of the Fraternity and became perhaps the most widely worn pin among Freemasons in Germany. In many Lodges, the Forget-Me-Not is presented to new Master Masons, at which time its history is briefly explained.

Discrimination
Bob Dixon, MPS

I belong to a Freemasonry mailing list available over the Internet. There's a wealth of available information and opinion on Masonic subjects, and I can't imagine being a Mason without access to this list.

On the list, a discussion went on over a period of days about a particular elementary school which refused the offer of a Masonic Cornerstone for their new building. Among their concerns was that Freemasonry discriminated against women and atheists, and they felt it inappropriate for a public school to be associated with such a group.

As a result of the discussion, I was forced to conclude, sadly, that Freemasonry "does" discriminate on the basis of sex and religion.

Because of this, I decided that I should leave Freemasonry, find an organization that "does not" practice any form of discrimination, and join it.

I first thought of the Girl Scouts. I was raised by my mother, and I appreciate women and the cultivation of domestic skills. But I am not a girl and I am too old.

Maybe the Boy Scouts. I was a Scout once, and I am sure they would take me back. I peaked out at First Class, and I would like to start over as a Tenderfoot and see if I can get my Eagle this time. Unfortunately, I am still too old.

Maybe one of the churches in my community. But, no, these churches will only allow me to be a member if I adhere to their particular doctrine and standards of behavior. This is clearly discriminating on the basis of religious belief.

Maybe I could go to college again and join a sorority. After all, I do feel more comfortable among women than men. But sororities don't accept men, and colleges don't accept those that are too stupid to pass the courses and too poor to pay the tuition.

Possibly the elementary school whose leaders felt that Masons discriminate. Surely they wouldn't discriminate, and I always did enjoy naps and coloring. Haven't had a good glass of chocolate milk in ages. But alas, I am still too old and have too much education.

After this, I resolved to go home to my sweet family and forget the whole thing. Except that my family discriminates against people who are not my blood relatives or friends of the existing members. Not just anyone off the street can join us at the dinner table, and this is clearly exclusionary.

Perhaps I could live in a vacant lot, not bothering anyone. But, again, my community discriminates against those who can't afford housing. People are just not allowed to live in the open. Stores refuse to serve those who can't pay. Certainly an intolerable situation.

Still, I resolved to give up "all" organizations who discriminate, no matter how difficult this is. A matter of principle, after all. I will live in the woods, by myself, where my pure standards can be best appreciated. But, alas, "even nature" discriminates, against the sick and the weak. When I get old or sick I will quickly be eaten by some animal stronger than I am.

Oh my! Maybe the Masons aren't so bad after all . . . the suppers are pretty good and they don't eat you when you get old.