2020 Summer

2020 On the cover - left is MW Lester Dickson, Grand Master of the Most
Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ancient free and Accepted
Masons of Washington and Jurisdiction and MW Charles Wood, Grand
Washington Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons of Washington.
Masonic

Tribune Table of Contents


Summer MWB Charles Wood Grand Master .............................................................. 2
RWB Chris Coffman Deputy Grand Master ................................................... 3

RWB CAMERON BAILY - GRAND SENIOR WARDEN ................................ 4
RWB Edward C. Woods Junior Grand Warden ............................................. 5
RWB Clinton Brown Grand Secretary ........................................................... 6
VWB Matt Appel – DDGM District 2 .............................................................. 7
VWB Richard M. Kovak, DDGM District 4 ..................................................... 8
VWB Thomas W. Christie, Past District Deputy District 6.............................. 9
VWB Larry D Foley, DDGM District 8 .......................................................... 10
VWB Dutch Meier, DDGM District 24 .......................................................... 11
VWB Roy Sharp, DDGM District 21 ............................................................ 12

MW Michael Sanders .................................................................................. 13
VWB Clayton M. M. La Vigne - Long-Range Planning ................................ 14
WB John Danner - Youth Committee .......................................................... 16
W John Vivian, Chairman, Membership Development Committee .............. 16
Supporting Youth in Transition - Brother David Trader ................................ 17
VWB Bill Werner—President PS-MSB ........................................................ 18
VWB Larry D Foley - Masonic Charities ...................................................... 18
RWB Coe Tug Morgan – 1918 Flu Pandemic ............................................. 20
VWB Richard M. Kovak – Symbolism in EA Degree ................................... 22

Washington Masonic Tribune Editor - WB Dean Markley ............................ 25


1

My theme -- "We are one Masonic implemented the plan that was created prior to my installation as
Family Living United" is on target your Grand Master and then the Flight Crew made necessary
today so much more than ever adjustments along the way like any well trained and educated air
before as we are currently facing a crew would do. There is an old saying in the military that when things
dark period in our lives. But there get tough, the tough get going. If you do not plan for success with a
is light to end the darkness if we as plan that is flexible, then by default you are planning for failure. Does
a Masonic Family do not lose sight your Worshipful Master have a plan for the membership of your
of who we are. This too will come lodge to follow? I asked a brother this question, why does the Grand
to pass and once again we will be Master or Worshipful Master sit in the East? His reply, was because
able to meet in our Lodges and he was elected to do so. I asked him to please review the opening
share that face to face fellowship, ritual and there he would find the answer to my question.
we all so yearn for.
In my address to those present at Grand Lodge last year I put forth
six challenges for the Craft to work on during the 2019 - 2020 year. I
The current Grand Lodge Team considered these to be achievable and measurable. My plan now is
that was elected by the members to report success or failure of these challenges in my closing
nd
of Grand Lodge during our 162 remarks at this year’s Annual Communication. I will sum this up by
Annual Communication in
MWB Charles Wood Bremerton, WA, reminds me of the saying the brethren exceeded my expectation and I will address this
further in my Grand Master Address at our Annual Communication
Grand Master outstanding air crews that scheduled for June 13, 2020 using Zoom as outlined and presented
supported the U-2 and SR-71
programs I was associated with to the Deputies of the Grand Master to implement. My address to the
while serving as a senior non-commissioned officer in the United brethren will be broadcasted live using YouTube.

States Air Force. The air crew (Grand Lodge Team) that was I would close by saying that this year was not about me but about
assembled this year consisted of: RWB Chris Coffman, Deputy we, if you take the ―m‖ in me, turn it upside down, the word will now
Grand Master; RWB Cameron Bailey, Senior Grand Warden; RWB say we and we have the know-how, the will power, and the strength
Ed Woods, Junior Grand Warden; and RWB Clint Brown, Grand to get things accomplished. Ask not what Freemasonry can do for
Secretary. One could not have asked for a better aircrew than the you but what can you do for Freemasonry, the greatest fraternity the
one assembled by Grand Lodge last year. Supreme Architect of the Universe ever created.

Our flight plan for the year charted a course for the air crew to Thank you for the great honor and privilege of allowing me to
crisscross our jurisdiction in all directions over a seven-month period serve you…for your FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY every day… and
while taking time off for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. for your unending commitment to the oldest Fraternal organization
The flight plan was designed to attend as many District Meetings known to mankind.
over any two-day period as possible, with, for example, one meeting
occurring on a Friday evening followed by one on Saturday morning Fraternally,
and finally another on Saturday afternoon. My idea was to maximize MWB Charles E. Wood ("Woody")
the effort while reducing travel time and travel related expenses.
Grand Master, A.D. 2019-2020
So, what is the point that I am trying to make by telling you about
this year’s Grand Lodge Team? It is very straight forward; I

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My Brothers, in, take control of that fund and redirect it to a similar charitable
I know many of you look forward to propose. While the Office of the Attorney General has that power, it
our Annual Communication and prefers to work with the holder of that charitable fund and
opportunity meet with Brothers we ―repurpose‖ the fund. No exceptions to this general rule apply here.
may only see once a year. Out of
an abundance of caution and That is what happened once the Masonic Retirement Center was
concern for the health and well- sold. The Masonic Home Fund and the Masonic Home Endowment
being of our Brothers, our Grand Fund could no longer fulfill their stated purposes of supporting the
Master, with the concurrence of the building and residents. So even prior to the sale, the Grand Lodge
entire Executive Committee, has attorneys approached the Office of the Attorney General to work out
decided to cancel the public events an agreement to repurpose those funds. An agreement was reached
of our Annual Communication
originally scheduled for Great Wolf and has been filed with the King County Superior Court, as is
Lodge. This was not a decision that required by civil law. The agreement provides that instead of
the Executive Committee wanted to supporting the Masonic Retirement Center and its residents, the
make, but it is the right thing to do funds will be used to support the Grand Lodge’s charitable arm,
RWB Chris Coffman for the Fraternity. Washington Masonic Charities. The Grand Lodge will continue to
Deputy Grand Our Grand Lodge faced a similar hold the funds which will be subject to the Washington Masonic
situation in 1945. Then, as part of
Code
Master the war effort, meetings of more To implement the final step in the agreement with the Attorney
than 50 people that required travel General, the Grand Lodge must amend the Washington Masonic
were prohibited. At that time, our Grand Master met with several Code. Resolution 2020-15 will complete that step. Some Brothers
Past Grand Masters and others and developed a plan on how to have asked what happens if we do not pass this resolution. The
proceed. Your Executive Committee has worked with Jurisprudence, worst thing that could happen is the Office of the Attorney General
using the 1945 solution as a model and incorporating modern determines that the agreement has been breached and demands
technology, has developed a plan to hold a one-day Annual Com- that we turn over the two funds for distribution to another unrelated
munication allowing participation via Zoom (keeping all esoteric work charity. Simply put, if we do not pass this Resolution, the Attorney
private). Because there will be restrictions on how we can operate, General could sue the Grand Lodge of Washington and take the
the only voting that will be conducted is such that is necessary for money that is in the Home Fund and the Home Endowment Fund
the business of Grand Lodge such as election of officers and (approximately $27,660,000 as of the end of March) and give it to
trustees, approval of the Grand Master’s message, the budget and a someone else.
few other items. One of those items is the consideration of Resolu-
tion 2020-15, no other legislation will be considered. However, if the resolution passes, then our agreement with the
Attorney General’s Office will be satisfied and we will continue to be
So why do we need to vote on Resolution 2020-15? Generally, if able to support Washington Masonic Charities and Grand Lodge.
funds are considered charitable, they must remain charitable. This is The choice is obvious; please pass Resolution 2020-15.
a long-standing legal principle. When a charitable fund can no RWB Chris Coffman, Deputy Grand Master
longer fulfill its purpose, the Office of The Attorney General can step


3

Charity
Our own Rainbow Girls hand painted small flower pots, planted
As I'm sure is true for many of you, the them, and delivered them to the wives of the Masons of Centralia
Covid-19 crisis has me contemplating Lodge.
Masonic charity, and just what it means
to be a Freemason in these trying times. That was, in my view, an amazing touch of charity. Through their
Without question Masonic charity actions, these girls lived up to a very high calling of Masonry. They
includes our large, institutionalized made the world around them just a little bit brighter.
charities. Things like our Shrine
Hospitals, the Scottish Rite language My wife and I are quite lucky. We are both able to work from
programs, and closest to us, Washington home, and we are both still getting paid for doing so. Unlike millions
Masonic Charities. These large at this time, we do not need financial assistance. We are also young
organizations do superb, oftentimes life enough and healthy enough to be able to safely shop for ourselves
changing work every day. It is important and our family. Unlike so many in our society, we don't need
that as individual Masons we do all we physical help.
can to support these efforts.
RWB CAMERON Masonic charity also extends to the That doesn't mean however that these lockdowns haven't taken a
BAILY - GRAND toll. Working from home isn't easy; some checks from clients have
been late. We have three grandparents still alive, all between the
SENIOR WARDEN ages of 95 and 99 which causes a great deal of worry. We've been
Lodge level with our scholarships, bikes for books, and other locally unable to visit friends, travel, and certainly haven't been able to sit
focused endeavors. Each of these things improves the lives of down and enjoy the company of Masons and our Masonic family.
people in our communities, and like our larger, better known efforts, What I'm trying to communicate, using myself as an example, is
need our support as well.
that this has been a trying time for everyone, even those who,
Lastly though, and what I would like to touch upon today is brother generally speaking, have had it better than others.
to brother, person to person charity. Charity between one member This year Mother's Day was kind of a sad day for my wife. Usually
of our Masonic family to another.
we have a big BBQ at her grandmother’s house, the extended family
Often charity is thought of in terms of money. That certainly isn't comes, and we have a great time. This year we couldn't do any of
all that charity is however. Charity is comfort to those who are that. No brothers and sisters, only two out of the three kids, nothing
bereaved. Charity is shopping for those who might not be able to do at all at the grandmothers.
it safely. Charity is a smile to someone who is sad or stressed. So, my wife was feeling a little blue, as I'm sure countless millions
Charity is a ride to an appointment.
of other Mothers were around this country.
In fact, when the words 'Faith, Hope, and Charity' were written into I've got to say, that all changed when the Centralia Rainbow
our rituals the word charity didn't mean money at all. It meant "love wandered into our backyard and handed her the plant. It was a
of humankind."
small gesture to be sure, but a gesture from the heart, and as such,
I was reminded of all of this on Mother's Day, by our own Centralia charity in its highest form.
Rainbow Girls.

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Our Centralia Rainbow brightened a dark day for a lot of people. time or both to do so by anyone lurking on the internet while sitting in
That is Freemasonry in action, and that truly is wonderful charity. dark room eating Cheetos and drinking Monster drinks. Some things
Personally, I am humbled to have learned something from the very we can do to improve security is not to post links to meetings in a
youngest members of our wider Masonic family. public place like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter; use passwords and
waiting room features and ensure that participants use their full
It is a lesson that I think we can all take back to our own Lodges
and communities. name when they enter a meeting and if you don’t know who they are
don’t let them in.
Cameron M. Bailey, Senior Grand Warden Cost – Paying a large fee to use a platform does not mean that it
is any more secure than a free for use platform. Free is not always

Brothers, good either. You will however get what you pay for so keep in mind
Zoom is a platform that can be that not all platforms are created equal. Zoom has been in use fairly
used to hold virtual meetings extensively by our Grand Jurisdiction over the last several weeks
with large numbers of people. It and with a great amount of success. The free version of Zoom will
is a tool and like any tool it must allow you to host up to 100 participants with a limit of 40 minutes
be utilized properly and which is more than ample for most of our needs. For $14.99 per
appropriately. There are many month you host 100 participants for as long as 24 hours on Zoom if
different platforms that can be
used to conduct virtual meetings you need the extra time. GoToMeeting starts with a $12.99 per
and gatherings. Go to Meeting, month plan for up to 150 participants with no time limit. Facebook
Skype, Sococo, Microsoft Teams has just launched Facebook Rooms where you can create a video
and most recently Messenger chat room via Facebook or the Messenger app for up to 50 people
Rooms with Facebook just to which is free. There are others that have been around like Skype,
name a few. Each platform has
Microsoft Teams and Sococo to name a few more.
its strengths and weaknesses.
I believe that as we entertain Ease of Use – In my experience each platform has a learning
RWB Edward C. Woods the utilization of any of these curve. You have to work with it to get accustomed to the features.
platforms it should be done in a
Many of the platforms provide excellent assistance in addressing
Junior Grand Warden calculated and cautious way. common issues. The important thing you need to do is find the one
We should vet each of the platforms and make a decision as to that works for what you need it to do.
which ones should be used or are best suited for our needs and the What are your needs – are you just having a face to face virtual
Fraternity. Some considerations (keep in mind I am not an expert, I meeting? Do you have presentations or presenters? Do you need
just know enough to get myself into trouble), should include: How the ability to use chats and document sharing? What are you trying
secure is it, the cost involved, ease of use and your needs. to accomplish? If you just want to bring the Brothers together for
Security – Let me start by saying that there is NO guarantee of some fellowship or mentorship then Zoom will likely fit the bill nicely.
how secure these platforms are. They are hosted in the public If you have other complexities you must accomplish then you will
domain and are subject to compromise by anyone with the skills, need to research the other platforms or possibly pay for an upper tier


5

of the service. See what they offer and make a decision on which Brethren are considered essential bills whose payment
one will be the best for what you want to do. cannot be deferred.‖
During this pandemic Zoom has been used a great deal and with
great success. Many of the Brethren have embraced the ability to Further the Grand Master has encouraged the use of Zoom or other
video conferencing tools to,
meet in a virtual setting with Brothers near and far. Brothers are
connecting with others whom they have not seen in a very long time. ―stay connected and to conduct all manner of meetings and
Many of the platforms can be used on your smart phone which really events virtually (not ritual or tiled Communications).‖
makes it easy for anyone to join in. This is all great stuff. We will get there in the future, but for now baby steps and
There have been many questions around the use of Zoom. Can it be remember your obligations. Again, please rest assured that the
used for stated meetings? Can it be used for Temple Board Grand Lodge team is listening. We are working on guidance that
meetings? Can it be used to mentor new Masons? I believe the may increase the use of Zoom and like platforms for other activities.
answer to many of these questions will likely be a yes, but with If you have ideas, we would love to hear them. If you have
conditions. The Grand Lodge Team have had and continue to have concerns, we want to hear those as well.
discussions around the appropriate use of Zoom and like platforms. For now, my Brothers, stay safe, stay healthy. I fear that we are
We continue to try and figure things out, weigh the pros and cons. going to be doing this for some time and it is critical that we assist in
Two things I feel confident about. One, I believe that we will arrive at providing solutions to the challenges that lay ahead.

a consensus. Two, there will still be certain limitations and activities Fraternally,
that are not allowed. As we progress through these uncharted RW Edward C. Woods – Junior Grand Warden
waters, we may find Zoom and like platforms being used for more
and more of our important Masonic work in the future. Brethren,
For now, the Grand Master in his letter signed 3-19-2020 gave the The Grand Master in consultation
directive to the Lodges to support continued operations of Lodges with the elected Grand Lodge
throughout this period while in-person meetings are restricted: Officers and Jurisprudence
Committee has put together a plan to
―All usual and customary bills for utilities, taxes, fees and get the essential business of Grand
services that are normally acted upon by the Lodge can be Lodge accomplished while staying
approved with the consent of the Worshipful Master, Senior within the guidelines mandated by
Warden, Junior Warden, Secretary and Treasurer during this the Governor regarding meetings.
time when Lodges are unable to meet. All decisions to pay The plan put out by MW Charles
these usual and customary bills shall be recorded by the Wood provides that all business and
Secretary and the Lodge must ratify these payments at the legislation that is not essential to the
next Stated Communication. The Lodge officers can use continued functioning of the Grand
telephone, email, video conferencing or other acceptable Lodge of Washington will be
forms of communication other than in-person meetings to postponed until the 2021 Annual
approve payments. Temple Corporations are encouraged to RWB Clinton Brown Communication. I have received
do the same. Furthermore, during this time of need, Grand Secretary several questions from the Brethren
expenditures by the Lodge for charitable assistance to


6

including what legislation is considered essential. I will attempt to submitted to the Attorney General and was approved along with the
answer these questions below. sale of the MRC.
First, the Grand Master has stated that all Legislation except Resolution 2020-15 changes the purpose of the Home Fund and
Resolution 2020-15 will be postponed until the 2021 Annual the Home Endowment Fund. The funds will now support the
charitable operations of Washington Masonic Charities as we agreed
Communication. This includes all carry-over resolutions from the to do in our agreement with the Attorney General. The funds will
2019 Annual Communication. This means that the carry over remain under the control of the Grand Lodge of Washington.
Resolution to increase the Grand Lodge fee to up to $40.00 will not However, if we do not change the purpose of these funds to comply
be considered at this year’s Annual Communication. Therefore, with the agreement that we have signed with the Washington State
Grand Lodge fee for next year will go back to $28.00 per member. Attorney General, then we will be in breach of our agreement and the
So, what does that mean for the Grand Lodge Budget? Well first, State of Washington could come in and seize the funds and give
the Grand Lodge Budget will need to be approved. However, we are them to another charity. So, this is legislation that must be
considered during this year’s Annual Communication.
presenting a balanced budget this year for the Brethren to approve.
Each year the budget is prepared by the Deputy Grand Master with Hopefully this answers many of the questions that you may have.
the assistance of the Finance Committee and the other elected Please feel free to email me at [email protected] if
Officers. This process begins in September. Last year the Brethren you have any other questions.
voted to change the way that the fee for the investments was Fraternally,
calculated to be a five-year rolling average. This is an important tool, Clint Brown, Grand Secretary
especially with the recent volatility present in the market. In working
with the Deputy Grand Master and the Finance Committee it was
determined this year that the Brokerage fees should be paid from VWB Matt Appel – DDGM District 2
each fund of the funds before the Grand Lodge fee is calculated and All this time at home has started some new traditions in the Appel
not from the Grand Lodge General Fund. This gave us greater house. For instance, we have a daily trip to pick up the school
flexibility in crafting the balanced budget that will be presented for
approval. lunches for my kids and then drive the parts of the lunch that they
don’t want over to the local food pantry and leave them there. We
Why do we have to vote on Resolution 2020-15? The Grand
Lodge of Washington no longer houses residents at the Masonic have a new way to select dinners since they are not on the run. We
Retirement Center and no longer owns the property in Des Moines. make one big grocery run a week. And, perhaps the most fun, we
As a result, the Washington Masonic Code needs to be changed with have family movie night. Last night’s movie was Frozen 2.
regards to how the monies from the Home Fund and the Home At one point in the movie the main characters are told by a wise
Endowment Fund will be used. However, the process is not as old creature to ―do the next right thing,‖ then later one of the char-
simple as just changing the Washington Masonic Code. Because of acters is stuck in a dark cave, unable to see a way to overcome the
the charitable nature of the funds, the Attorney General had to great obstacles in her path. She sings a song about doing the next
approve the change. Last year I told you that R⸫W⸫ Chris Coffman
and I had been working with our attorney and Washington Masonic right thing. She knows that the task in front of her is huge, and she
Charities to craft an agreement that would meet with the cannot see the end, but she knows that taking the next step, doing
requirements of the laws of the State of Washington and be the next right thing, is how to make sure the big task is finished.
approved of the Washington Attorney General. That agreement was


7

It is the same in our Lodges. We know the ones that are not doing VWB Richard M. Kovak, DDGM District 4
well. Heck, many of us are members of those Lodges. We look to the As with many of the districts we were doing fine until the pandemic
horizon, to a successful Lodge, to the ideal we hold in our head of hit and we became physically isolated. Up until mid March your
what a Lodge is like and say that is too far off. ―We only have 5 Deputy was able to attend 96% of the Lodge meetings held in District
active members, how can we be successful like the Lodge down the Four. One of the highlights was the Reception of the Grand Master
way?‖ ―We don’t have enough money to fix up our building.‖ ―Our on Saturday February 1, 2020. The Grand Master was well received
members keep demitting and going to other Lodges.‖ as was the rest of Grand Lodge elected and several appointed team
Brothers, these are all big problems. There are no easy fixes. I heard members. Every one of the Worshipful Masters from District Four
the saying somewhere that ―The best time to plant a tree was 20 showed up and gave a personal report of the events and doings of
years ago, the second-best time is right now.‖ None of these their respective Lodges. A high point in the proceedings came when
problems will go away with one hour or one day of work. It is going to 12 of 23 prospective members of Rainier Lodge #189 showed up to
take an effort of many Brothers over time to make the Craft into what greet the Grand Master. These brothers were demitting from a
it can be.
clandestine Lodge in south Seattle and by taking the three Masonic
But start. degrees in our jurisdiction from scratch were on their way toward
Do something. Do the next right thing. Plant the tree that you will becoming members of this jurisdiction. The project was called
not live long enough to give shade to your great-grandchildren. Start Project Exodus and was orchestrated by MWB Santie Lascano and
now. Raise your dues if you need to. Contact Brothers your Lodge facilitated by VWB Don Lyman. The Grand Master graciously went
has not seen in some time. Make one phone call. Take one step up to each of these brothers shook their hands and welcomed them.
forward to improving your Lodge, and when you hand off the baton in Later, the Grand Master withstood the shenanigans of this Deputy
your Lodge the next Brother will start his journey one step closer to singing a boxing analogy version of the Toreador song. All ended
the goal. well when the Worshipful Master of Doric Lodge #92, WB Brent
The COVID crisis has given us a great opportunity. We have all Woodward, presented the Grand Master with a pair of blue boxing
been bumped out of our regular routines, and the things we have gloves sporting the square and compasses logo on the mitts. It turns
done we have had to do in new ways. Please take advantage of that. out that February 1 was also the Grand Master’s birthday and after a
When we go back to Lodge, we will not be the same men going to rousing chorus of ―Happy Birthday‖ he was presented with two
the same Lodge. Seize this opportunity to break out of the old ways bottles of well-aged refreshment from the Junior Warden, WB
of doing things and change what your Lodge does and how it does it Charles Haddran.
to drive it to a better place. District Four is slowly growing with each of the Lodges having
Brothers, it has been an honor to serve the Masons of District Two several candidates going through the degrees. As mentioned above,
for these last two years. I believe that our Craft, our Grand Lodge Rainier #189 is about to explode with new members once Project
and our Lodges are being well served by the Brothers elected and Exodus is completed. Plans are under way for the District Four
appointed to serve us, and I look forward to where we are going. Lodge Olympics, for several special speaking and dinner events and
VWB Matthew Appel, DDGM District 2 hopefully for a huge late summer picnic at the Nile Shrine Center. In
the meanwhile, we can only have faith in the Supreme Architect of



8

the Universe and in ourselves that this pandemic subsides and we (http://internet.lodge.org.uk/), Ireland Lodge 2000 (GL of Ireland)
can all rejoice in resuming personal contact again. (http://www.ireland2000.org/index.php) and Castle Island Virtual
VWB Richard M. Kovak, DDGM District 4 Lodge 190 (GL of Manitoba) (https://civlodge190.ca/). Particularly
Castle Island Virtual Lodge seems most ―lodge-like,‖ uses Zoom for
meetings and actually opens on the Entered Apprentice Degree for
VWB Thomas W. Christie, Past District Deputy its business. Although its website is a bit outdated, it has a
Facebook page which appears to be regularly updated. To join any
District 6 of these lodges, one must already be a Master Mason in a Lodge
recognized by their respective Grand Lodges.
What Comes After Covid-19?
The development of the Castle Island Virtual Lodge is an
extraordinary tale of how a virtual lodge attempts to answer some of
We are hopefully coming to the end of a very difficult time in World
History – the time of isolation wrought by Covid-19. While this has the key questions with which Masonry struggles -- elder members
been a troubling time, forcing us to think in new ways about how to spread out over a large geographic area, and where inclement
do things, it is also possible that this experience will lead to some weather may make regular attendance difficult. The fascinating story
answers to questions with which we have struggled. of Castle Island is the subject of a Winding Stairs podcast,
While I am certainly not ready to believe that Masonry is dying, it https://thewindingstairs.com/2019/07/31/tws-048-virtual-
is certainly true that it seems to be disappearing, particularly from freemasonry-a-conversation-with-jason-richards-and-nicholas-laine/.
rural areas and urban centers. This is particularly true of the various
concordant and appendant bodies. Even if a Lodge survives, the There are, of course, a number of considerations which emerge
various bodies which often accompanied the Lodge -- Eastern Star, from a virtual lodge -- security and secrecy, degree offerings,
Amaranth, Royal Arch, Commandery, etc., are now frequently Masonic education, etc. These concerns are every bit true for Castle
absent, along with the richness, education and benefits which they Island Virtual Lodge, and I encourage any Mason to listen to this
brought to the individual and community. podcast for an interesting perspective of what the future of Masonry
Moreover, as those bodies disappear, I worry that it becomes ever may include.
more difficult to hold meetings, to enjoy the fellowship of our brothers Leaving aside questions of having an actual lodge meeting, during
and sisters, let alone learn the ―secrets‖ of our orders. this most recent enforced isolation the Grand Master and Grand
Yet we have at our fingertips technology which has proven itself Lodge of Washington encouraged us to meet via Zoom, not to hold
vital in supporting our meetings, friendships, and lodges through tiled meetings, but to make certain we support one another, that we
interactive programs and the internet. These programs or take care of each other, and to address issues which are uncommon
applications like Zoom, Webex and Skype, along with the often and emergent (even if no binding vote could be taken) through a
abused social media like Facebook and Messenger, provide a survey of the members.
possible answer to future meetings, especially if this period of At first glance, for the future of virtual meetings, the real difficulty
isolation continues. appears to be ritual -- it has often been said that it is our ritual which

It should be noted that this follows up on the concept of the sets Masonry apart from most other organizations. How can we
internet meetings which were pioneered by Internet Lodge No: 9659 preserve our ritual while not meeting? How do we convey the


9

meaning of our degrees without an actual presence? Do we confer I have heard real concerns from knowledgeable brothers who fear
our degrees in a Reunion (Scottish Rite) or Festival (York Rite) that because we have not been regularly meeting Masonically, we
format? Do we adopt the kind of 3-d simulations which are now have gotten out of the ―habit‖ of attending meetings. If your lodge
cutting edge and used to train such professions as physicians? Do has not been meeting via Zoom, perhaps this is a great time to do
we abandon the in-person model of conferring a degree for using that, as a step to gradually re-enter into the realm of regular
digital recordings of the degrees (admittedly this might improve the meetings.
quality of the conferral). I do not have an answer to these questions, Masonry and the application of technology in the future is
but I have to admit it is difficult to be active in my Blue Lodges, while inevitable. Just as once we incorporated magic lantern pictures into
also working to perform degrees for concordant and appendant our degree lectures in the York Rites, and magnificent sets and
bodies. theater to Scottish Rite, we will incorporate aspects of multimedia
But my goal here is not necessarily to provide answers to some of and interactive technologies. Simply, if we want to remain relevant,
these questions, but to sponsor discussion, while noting some real we must. Exactly what this future might look like is up for debate,
and immediate benefits from the changes which enforced isolation however, we should give thoughtful consideration, with ample
can provide. discussion, to make the future which we and Masonry deserve.
Nobody likes long drawn out meetings. As we return to actual in
person meetings, presiding officers would be remiss if they ignored VWB Thomas W. Christie, Past District Deputy District 6
the technology easily available to hold officer meetings prior to our All Rights Reserved
actual meetings. Just holding a Zoom meeting, with the goal of
developing a tight agenda, will shorten what sometimes may
otherwise seem to be a never-ending meeting. Committees can VWB Larry D Foley, DDGM District 8
meet with Zoom and address many issues without subjecting the A Mason in Heart, not Just in Name
main meeting to these discussions. During my years of service to our Craft, I have noticed two kinds of
Masonic education also benefits from the technology which now Masons; those who join for the name and those who join from their
exists. While I have not heard of many individuals who have used heart. We have all seen this in our Lodge where there are 3, 5, 7
this enforced isolation period to catch up on the myriad podcasts brothers who are involved in committees, organizing events, giving
available, I have seen some who have taken this time to practice educational talks, mentoring or doing the upkeep on the lodge
ritual and to read and develop their own education. Whether by building. These brothers have Masonry in their heart. Masonry is
traditional means or more apparently advanced technological many things to many Brothers and in this time of pandemic where we
techniques, each of us can and should seek out Masonic growth. are separated by social distancing and stay at home orders; are we
still Masons at heart or only in name? I have heard a great many
I personally believe that Masonry is the journey of an individual -- excuses why a Brother cannot come to Lodge, be at an event or help
each person grows as he will. Yet at the same time, we travel the
road of Masonry with our brothers and companions. This may seem with lodge maintenance.
Now I hear the excuses why they cannot reach out to a Brother
contrary, but it is not, as each person learns the lessons that he with a phone call or join a Zoom meeting from the comfort of their
needs when he needs them.


10

home. When Brothers took to social southeastern Washington Masonic family in Waitsburg. In response
media platforms such as Zoom to to ongoing virus restrictions, people everywhere have been directed
hold virtual meetings, so many to wear masks and actively maintain social distancing. But what do
Brothers were joining in. The District you do when there are no masks to be bought or found?
8 Round Table talks were well "Not a problem," according to Worshipful Brother Skip Winchester,
attended with over 40 Brothers. Worshipful Master of Waitsburg Lodge #16. "Our solution was to
Now it is down to the low twenties make them if you can't find them to buy them."
or high teens. What happened?
Where did they go? Did they
misplace their Masonic heart? I
have attended various virtual Lodge
and District meeting along with
virtual meetings hosted in other
jurisdictions and I see the same happening there as well. Where is
our Heart?
I urge all brothers to do some old fashion soul searching or self-
examination. Then ask yourself ―Why am I a Mason?‖ Go and open Lois Winchester shows a batch Skip and Lois Winchester show
the photo of American Soldiers in
of masks ready to have elastic
the Standard Work to re-read the degrees, open a Masonic history added. Germany wearing masks the
book, call that older Brother and join the virtual meetings. In these family made and sent. One of
trying times, we, as Masons need to step up and be that shining (Photos courtesy of Waitsburg those is the son of Tawnya and
example to each other as well as society. Brotherly Love, Relief, Lodge #16) Mickey Richards (shown seated.)
Truth, Faith, Hope and Charity are not just words but a way of life
and should be at the fore front of your heart. He and his wife Lois and their family began gathering materials and
I look forward to sharing Fellowship with you all soon with open arms making masks to distribute at no cost to the recipients. Working as a
and an open heart. Be safe and be well my Brothers. Be the heart, family at home with materials they acquired out-of-pocket and from
not just the name. donations, they began making individual protective masks and
haven't slowed down yet. The two thousand masks that they have
VWB Larry D Foley, Deputy of the Grand Master of District 8 produced already have been distributed far and wide.
"Our family works together patterning, cutting fabric and elastic,
sewing and finishing. We average about three masks an hour and
have invested about 700 hours, so far," Lois said. "We saw that there
VWB Dutch Meier, DDGM District 24 was a great need for masks and became a calling for our whole

Masonic family in Waitsburg makes and donates thousands of family. It has been a constant process and we have been able to
protective masks. satisfy the demand as we receive more and more requests for these
In challenging times like these past several months, Free and masks."
Accepted Masons have always been known for stepping up and The demand for protective masks is high and comes from places all
helping out wherever they can. That is exactly the case for one over the globe.

11

"We've sent them so many places, I've been surprised by the Masonic Family Living United’. I think, in our way, my family and I are
demand," said Skip Winchester. "In early May, our daughter working together to serve God and Man to give thanks for the many
delivered a batch of 89 masks that we had just completed to the blessings we have every day."
Shiner’s Hospital for Children in Spokane when she made a trip up WB Skip Winchester and his family are longtime members of the
there." Masonic family. He is the Worshipful Master of his Lodge, an active
Other mask gifts include a bale of 60 they sent to their daughter- member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Walla Walla, a Noble in the El
in-law's son and his U.S. Army unit stationed in Germany. Other Katif Shrine Temple, President of the Blue Mountain Shrine Club,
packages have been shipped in lots numbering handfuls to dozens, and he and his wife Lois are active in Eastern Star Chapter #9 in
to the hundreds, according to Skip and Lois. "We've sent bundles of Waitsburg where she is Secretary.
200 to two different hospitals in Mission Viejo Valley, California.
There was an EMS station from the New York City fire department By Very Worshipful Brother Dutch Meier
that we sent dozens of masks, too," Lois said. "With the help of our District 24 Deputy of the Grand Master
daughter Chris, and our son Mickey and his wife Tawnya, we've also Chairman, MWGL Public Relations Committee
made and shipped these masks to help people in Michigan, Ohio,
Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Texas, Florida,
Montana and even the U.S. Virgin Islands."
WB Winchester said they VWB Roy Sharp, DDGM District 21
had to slow down briefly a few 65 Year Pin
times until they received new You sit in Lodge,
shipments of elastic. They've had meetings after meetings,
plenty of fabric, but the demand years after years. Then
for elastic has caused a bit of a time slips upon you. A
logistics challenge now and Brother and friend that
again. However, he said, this you have known for as
labor of love for his family has long as you can
inspired them to find ways to remember, Julian
solve each new bump in the road Agranoff, 93 years young
Another batch of masks made by along the way. and now it’s time to
the Winchester family is ready to "Surprisingly, our real big Left, VWB Roy Sharp, Middle Julian present him with a pin to
be packaged up and shipped off challenge in all this has been Agranoff, WM, Quincy Lodge #161, recognize the service he
to protect others. finding adequate supplies of Right, WB Gary Osborne, PM. has contributed as a
elastic to continue our production. That becomes very important Brother Mason.
because we have had an ever-growing list of requests. We have Where has time gone? It is a real pleasure to present WB Julian
really been blessed and surprised by the amount of donations that Agranoff his 65 years of appreciation of service. He has added a lot
we have received from people who wanted to assist in our cause," to our meetings with the knowledge he has acquired in his time of
said Bro. Skip. "We've felt a civic and humanitarian duty so we've traveling his Masonic path.
tried to serve our community and our fellow man the best way we
could find. This is our way of giving life to the Grand Master's theme. VWB Roy Sharp, DDGM District 21
Most Worshipful Brother Charles Wood speaks of 'We are One


12

MW Michael Sanders than brother Masons. While some of our Lodges have meetings that
are dry and barren, like the Arabian Desert, meetings at other
Back in 2005, when I was Grand Historian, the following was my Lodges are filled with informative and uplifting programs, community
address to Grand Lodge. I would like to share the address again, as I service activities, laughter and fellowship. We have just come
think it just as viable today. through a difficult period that has challenged the very survival of our
When our last Grand Lodge Communication was held one year Lodges, and some have indeed fallen. But we are once again
ago, I had no idea that my life would be changed so dramatically in moving forward; coming together to make our fraternity strong. We
the months to come. Early in July I was notified by the Army that have a lot to offer the world. But also like the Iraqi people, the world
there was a possibility I would be called to active duty in support of is largely unaware of who we are of what we have to offer. They
Operation Iraqi Freedom. In September I learned that my activation either know nothing about us, or have misconceptions based on
was indeed going to happen. On November 17th I reported to Fort slanted information.
Bragg, NC, and arrived in Baghdad on Christmas Eve. A few days I have two points that I want to make. The first is that strength is
later I was sent to Tikrit, where I am currently serving. achieved by overcoming obstacles. A friend recently sent me this
In my capacity as a Civil Affairs Officer I have been fortunate to story:
meet and get to know many Iraqi citizens. I’ve participated in Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some
meetings with Governors, Sheiks, businessmen and women, 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly
soldiers, students, and various voluntary organizations, and have take visitors to view the reef. On one tour, a traveler asked the
been able to make friends along the way. I wish everyone could see guide an interesting question. "I noticed that the lagoon side of
these good people the way that I have learned to see them. the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant
Unfortunately, most of the world is unaware of who the Iraqi people and colorful," the traveler observed. "Why is this?" The guide
really are, or what they have to offer. They know little or nothing gave an interesting answer:
about them except for the negative reports they see or hear in the "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water with no
newspapers and on television. challenge for its survival. It dies early. The coral on the ocean
The Iraqis have a long and impressive history, of which they are side is constantly being tested by wind, waves, and storms --
justifiably proud. They are quite diverse in their ethnic, cultural, and surges of power. It has to fight for survival every day of its life. As
religious backgrounds, but all recognize each other as fellow Iraqis. it is challenged and tested, it changes and adapts. It grows
They are generally warm, friendly, and easy to like and feel healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces."
comfortable with. They live in a land that is not just barren desert as Then he added this telling note: "That's the way it is with every
we Americans so often envision, but also has beautiful rivers, rich living organism."
farmlands, green hills and snow-covered mountains. The Iraqi
people have just come through a very difficult period under an evil That's how it is with people. Physical demands can cause us to
regime that has challenged their very survival. But they are coming grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-
together as a people and are proudly working to make their nation mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of
strong and prosperous. They have a lot to offer the world. character and faithfulness. Our Lodges, of course, being a collective
When you stop and think about it, there is a lot of similarity group of people, react the same way. Challenged and tested, we
between us, as Freemasons, and the Iraqis. We also have a long come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow.
and impressive history, which we are also very proud of. In general, Last August, I sent a survey to each Lodge with a request that
Masons are warm and friendly, likable, and easy to feel comfortable they answer the questions and return it to me. The survey had the
around. Although diverse in our ethnic, cultural, and religious following questions:
backgrounds, we tend to see one another as nothing more or less  When was your Lodge chartered?

13

 Who were the early members of your Lodge, and what did they desired its own temple, and sometimes because an existing facility
do in your community? was destroyed by a fire. In either situation, the Lodge members
 What was the high point in the history or your Lodge, and why? became more dedicated to the craft, there was a burst of growth, and
 What was the low point in the history of your Lodge, and why? friendship and brotherly love prevailed.
 What is the current status of your Lodge? In contrast, the low point in the Lodge’s history always came
 What are your Lodge’s strengths? during the period between disasters. This is when the Lodge
 What are your Lodge’s weaknesses? became complacent, and members stopped participating. There
 What is the vision for the future of your Lodge? was nothing to keep them interested.
 What is your plan to achieve this vision? Now, brethren, I am not advocating that every few years you burn
down your Lodge. What I am telling you is that your Lodge was
While these questions were designed to help me identify trends formed to meet the needs of a particular interest group and became
that our Grand Lodge Elected Officers can use in their decision strong because it had a cause. When the time came when that
making process, they were also intended to help the leadership of interest group was no longer there, and there was no longer a cause
our various Lodges 1) learn the history of their Lodge; 2) evaluate to serve, the health of the Lodge began to fail. Like the coral, a
the Lodge’s current situation against that history; and 3) use both the Lodge that is not challenged, becomes weak and finds its survival in
Lodge’s history and evaluation of the current situation as a guide for jeopardy.
long term planning. The second point I want to make is that, as the saying goes,
Although only a handful of Lodges responded, when I combined history has a way of repeating itself. Studying the history of our
those responses with the histories I received from other Lodges, they Lodges gives us a sense of who we are as a fraternity and where we
told an interesting story: have come from. When properly applied, history provides the tools
to identify and choose the best course of action for future events.
Each of our Lodges was formed because of one of two purposes;
the first was that Masons living in a particular geographic area The mistakes of the past don’t have to be the mistakes of the future,
and the positive accomplishments of the past can be built upon in the
wanted to be a part of a local Lodge, generally coinciding with the
founding of a new community; the second was because members of present to create a glorious future.
one or more Lodges decided to form a new Lodge that would focus
on the interests of their particular age, professional, or social group. MW Michael Sanders, Past Grand Master
The early members of our Lodges tended to be a mixture of both
blue-collar and white-collar workers, but almost always had some
members who were well known and respected in the community. VWB Clayton M. M. La Vigne - Long-Range
The community leaders often, but not always, provided the
leadership the Lodge needed to become organized and functional. Planning
However, their real value to the craft came from the fact that others Long-Range Planning: We’re attaining a clearer path forward!
in the community would see these community leaders participating in
Masonic Lodge activities and would conclude that the Lodge must be Since the last article I authored a couple of months ago, our
good and worth associating with. Fraternity has made significant progress in our methods of
The high point in the Lodge’s history always came as a result of communicating with each other. We are still in the middle of the
the members having to pull together for a common goal or in
response to a disaster. A common event was the construction of a pandemic, and it appears that it will be a while before we begin to
new Lodge building. Sometimes this happened because a Lodge meet in our buildings as we did at the beginning of this year. We’ve

14

done everything from district forums, topic meetings featuring guest Our Committee will be creating a more detailed questionnaire that
speakers, and even a roast, all through teleconferencing. We have will be disseminated throughout the Jurisdiction in the near future.
also held four District meetings with our Elected Grand Lodge When you receive it, I encourage you to share it with your Lodges
officers, our Deputies, and the Brethren of the District in the month of and membership, and reply to our committee with your ideas, what
April. These meetings were also attended by brethren throughout the works and what doesn’t, and any issues that your Lodge or district
Jurisdiction, some to learn how the teleconferencing works, and might have involving electronic communication.
many to catch up on the fellowship with brethren who live hours In addition, our Committee still has the survey with the following
away by automobile travel. link: glwastrategicplan.wordpress.com. We have not closed the
Some areas of our Jurisdiction are right in the middle of the survey, and we do check it for new entries on a regular basis. And I
technology sector, and their Lodges are having fun taking advantage remind you that all of the members of the Long-range Planning
of the many new capabilities that the latest technology offers. But committee are available to answer your questions to the best of our
then there are areas that do not have the internet capabilities that the ability.
more urban regions enjoy. I was surprised to find that there are Remember, there are many of our Brothers who don’t have the
towns, even cities, which do not have the high-speed internet that tech savvy of our younger members who grew up around computers.
many of us might even take for granted. I found these issues to be a Don’t leave them behind! You can hold classes, some online, some
learning experience, and in order for our Grand Jurisdiction to learn via phone, and when we resume in-person meetings, old-school
more about these issues, your Long-range planning committee is in classroom classes that offer a wonderful opportunity to educate our
search of your input. Brothers in new methods of communicating with each other. I have
found it quite rewarding to help our older members join our virtual
Here is what we are looking for: Lodge meetings by calling them on the phone and coaching them
through it. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s great to hear the Brothers being
 If your Lodge is using teleconferencing on a regular basis to welcomed in the meeting once they’ve logged on. The same thing
maintain its meeting schedule during this shutdown applies to our Grandview database – you can assist the other
 What your Lodge is doing via teleconferencing to enhance members of your Lodge to register onto Grandview, and then show
the membership experience among your members
 What events your district is holding via teleconferencing them its many features and ways to keep your Lodge connected.
 Other methods to interact with your Lodge membership, While this is a challenging period of time in history, it also is
other Lodges, or other regular Masonic entities which involve presenting an excellent opportunity for our Lodges, and our
modern technology Fraternity, to move forward and shine bright as a beacon in our
 If you plan to continue to use modern technology in your society. Take advantage of it! Have a great summer, and be sure to
Lodge or District in conjunction with your regular Stated do what it takes for us to be able to meet and enjoy great fellowship
Communications when they resume in the future
 Other items that relate to modern technology in Lodge later this year for the holidays!
communications. Fraternally,
VWB Clayton M. M. La Vigne, Chairman, Long-Range Planning

Committee

15

WB John Danner - Youth Committee our Masonic Youth. We have amongst our Adult volunteers and
Advisors many nurses, medical staff, first responders and essential
Masonic Youth Report – a glimmer of hope business staffers that are risking their lives daily, doing their jobs for
After the Holidays, your three Masonic Youth Groups started the the common good, while most of us shelter in place or stay safe.
year off going full speed ahead with meetings, installations, fun and One person I’d like to recognize and pay tribute to is Mrs. Carolyn
fully engaged in their normal activities. Grant – Mother Advisor of Richmond Highlands Rainbow Assembly
As we know now, all of that and their carefully laid plans for spring and wife of our most recent PM of Shoreline #248, WB Beau Grant.
and the remainder of 2020 changed in just a few short weeks. Social She was on the cover of a Sunday edition of the Seattle Times
distancing, sheltering in place, working from home, lockdown and (March 29, 2020) – a photo and article covering her coming out of
distance learning have become the new normal. Many meetings, fun retirement at UW Medicine to serve the community by supervising
events, fundraisers, awards, service projects, District or Regional the testing unit for the COVID19 virus. Additionally, her story was
meetings, Grand Officer receptions, training sessions, conventions, covered by Time magazine, CNN and Fox. I’ve known Carolyn for
installations and more have been rescheduled or cancelled. There is years and seen firsthand her dedication to the girls and community. It
little to no Masonic Youth activity, for adults or our youth…...or so was a nice article and a good read – check out online with the links
you thought. below. Thank you!
If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that most kids adapt and https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/coming-out-of-
improvise pretty easily. That is very much the case here, as many of retirement-during-coronavirus-pandemic-a-nurse-finds-purpose-as-
our Rainbow Assemblies, DeMolay Chapters and Jobie Bethels are hospitals-prepare-for-more-patients/
staying attached and engaged with each other in these troubled https://q13fox.com/2020/04/07/local-nurses-come-out-of-retirement-to-
times. They already stay connected personally through their phones help-with-covid-19-outbreak/
– texting, social apps, FaceTime and Skype, but now they are https://time.com/5810120/retired-health-care-workers-coronavirus/
meeting in groups online through various app’s like Zoom – same as
many of our Lodges and Grand Lodge. https://www.facebook.com/Q13FOX/posts/carolyn-grant-is-63-years-old-
Shoreline DeMolay had a meeting and elections a few weeks ago. and-has-asthma-symptoms-but-when-this-retired-
Richmond Highlands Rainbow had a fun meeting and an online nurs/10160045859259199/
Movie Night. Many others are going about their regular business
through online meetings on their stated meeting nights and other WB John Danner – [email protected]
online functions. I heard the Everett Rainbow Girls were planning a MWGLWA Youth Committee Chairman
service function in their online meeting, writing cards to folks in a rest
home. Advisory boards/councils are meeting online as well. This a
great tool to meet, stay connected and may indeed be a valuable W John Vivian, Chairman, Membership
resource even when we are clear to meet again in person. When we
do get that green light, can you imagine how packed those kid’s Development Committee
meetings will be after weeks/months of being cooped up and at Brethren,
home? That will be a great time for you to drop in and see what they
are up to. Stay tuned and mark your calendars for when our halls This is the 3rd of 4 installments detailing the major
open again! takeaways from the series of surveys that the Membership
In these uncertain and difficult times, I’d like to share with you a Development Committee undertook in late 2018. In this
glimmer of hope and sunshine, not only to inspire but also to remind installment I will be delving into the survey sent to Master
us all of the kind of great people that dedicate their lives and serve Masons who were dropped from our rolls by Demitting.


16

There were 6 primary reasons given by the Brothers who We are hemorrhaging the very lifeblood of the Fraternity;
demitted. Keep in mind that this question allowed multiple experienced Masons, men who have been and should
answers, so the numbers won’t add up to 100%. continue to be our leaders, giving seasoning to the Lodge and
Almost 50% of the Brothers demitted due to an inability to passing on knowledge to the next generation of Masons just
make the meetings. Another third demitted due to affiliating coming in, hungry to learn.
with another Lodge. 25% of the brothers listed moving out of What say you Brethren? Are you willing to look closely at
state as their reason. Finally, over 25% of the Brothers listed your Lodge? Are you willing to increase your outreach and
too much drama/discord in the Lodge, lack of any meaningful keep Past Masters actively involved in mentoring the new
Masonic education and a feeling that Masonry has lost its Brothers coming to us, looking to learn what Masonry is, what
focus. it was and what it could be in the future?
Brothers, these are the same basic reasons given by the If your lodge is going to have an interesting educational
Brothers who were dropped for NPD! Do you see a pattern? I event, please do feel free to contact me. If I can, I’d like to be
do. Brothers can’t make the meetings; please do all that you able to video the presentation for other Lodges to use for their
can to ensure that they consider changing Lodges so we can education.
keep our Fraternity solid. Please consider developing an exit Fraternally,
interview procedure. You need to learn why Brothers are
leaving your Lodge. My primary concern here is those W John H. Vivian, Chairman, Membership Development
Brothers who are leaving for cause. Those leaving because of Committee
drama/discord among the Brethren, or cliquish behavior that
puts up walls between Brothers not in the ―in crowd‖. Look
closely at your Lodge; try to become more welcoming and Supporting Youth in Transition - Brother David
accepting. By providing education at least every other
meeting as a minimum, we should be able to staunch the loss Trader
from this reason. Toward that end, this committee is looking to
video record interesting programs that Lodges put on. We feel Peninsular Lodge #95 in Everett Washington has participated in On
strongly that some Lodges have better programs, than others, The Level: Student Success. This program is coordinated through
and if we can video the program and make it available on Washington Masonic Charities (WMC) and provides funds for local
either the Grand Lodge website or on Grandview, these school district youth who are experiencing homelessness. WMC
outstanding programs will be available to every Lodge. contacts a local school district to identify students in their district who
In closing, here a few eye-opening findings: need some type of assistance to keep them in school and on the
 2/3 of those demitting had been a Mason over 10 road to graduate.
years When a student needs something to help bridge the gap or help
 Almost 50% of them were between 56-65 years old them through the day, they meet with the school counselor or
 Over 50% of them were Past Masters homeless coordinator. The staff member sends the request to
Washington Masonic Charities who partners with the district staff to
fulfill that request. Items requested have ranged from pillows,

17

jackets and food to cap and gowns for graduation. Peninsular Lodge Brothers needs help - what can YOU do? To paraphrase JFK: Ask
#95 is pleased to provide financial donations over the last 2 years to not what your Lodge can do for you - rather ask what you can do for
Washington Masonic Charities to fund this wonderful program for your Lodge Brothers. Be willing to reach into your own pocket - and
homeless and struggling students in our community. quietly bless them. Doing that within your Lodge will help many - but
perhaps it’s not enough.
This is a wonderful program that helps our community and helps us
spread our kind offices. The PS-MSB can assist financially after a Lodge WM or Secretary
determines that a Brother’s needs are beyond their internal ability to
Supporting Youth in Transition assist. Our process is simple - the WM or Secretary vets the request
Brother David Trader, Junior Deacon Peninsular Lodge #95 and then contacts us. We take their word for the vetting. We can help
very quickly with a check or store gift card for up to $500. If the need
has to be repeated - we can do so usually one more time. Sorry - but
VWB Bill Werner—President PS-MSB our assistance is short-term not long-term. Additionally, Washington
Masonic Charities (WaMC) and the Grand Lodge Charity Committee
Brothers, (GLCC) have financial resources. WaMC can also assist with a
We at the PS-MSB hope this finds you in good health and spirits. sound financial plan and provide access to other resources -
The COVID-19 virus has put all of us in situations we never prepared including medical. Our 3 groups have co-operated for many years to
for in any type of scenario—Reduced/Out of work, social better assist Masons.
quarantines, and restricted ability to travel. The things we have long Each of us are the Eyes and Ears of Masonry - lift up your eyes
taken for granted such as meeting each other at Lodge, or over and be willing to get involved when a Brother is in need. Be aware
coffee and a meal, or visiting other Lodges have ground to a halt. Yet that sometimes a Brother’s pride keeps him from revealing their
while Life still goes on -- the needs of our Brothers still continue. need. That can be difficult and cannot always be overcome. But try!
What do I mean by ―Needs‖? To contact the PS-MSB, please visit our website at
www.seattlemsb.org or call 425-894-4410 or 206-937-1445 or via
1) Human contact and connections. We Need Each Other! email at [email protected] or [email protected].

Pick up a phone and call other people - Masonic and otherwise, OTL,
Zoom meetings, FaceTime, Skype, talk to a neighbor, and help
someone with limited mobility. Connect as best you can and help VWB Bill Werner—President Puget Sound Masonic Service Bureau
others and yourself by re-affirming our human and brotherly
connections. If it is not a Masonic Tenet to Connect - it should be!!
We need each other. We have the expectation that all of you are
still active within your various communities connecting with your VWB Larry D Foley - Masonic Charities
neighbors and family. On behalf of Washington Masonic Charities Board of Trustees, I am
privileged and honored to deliver to the Fraternity, our stakeholders,
2) Finances: For those Brothers who are going through reduced and the community this Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 2019-
work, loss of work - finances are an issue. 2020.
Each of us took an Obligation, re-affirmed at nearly every meeting,
to assist distressed Brother Masons, their widows and children.
Each of us took the Obligation - not the Lodge. If one of your Lodge As I close out my term on this Board and as President; I am honored


18

to have served on behalf of the brethren of this grand jurisdiction. many individuals who have contributed generously to
support the program.
We have had great success at Washington Masonic Charities  Nearly $35,000 was raised for this program alone.
(WAMC) during this last year which I will give a brief overview. Scholarships

Masonic Outreach Services – Masons Care  More than $30,000 in scholarship funds provided.
This includes children, grandchildren, and dependents of

 451 clients served in 2019-2020 of which, 65% of clients Washington Masons as well members of our Masonic Youth
served were part of our Masonic family. We provided a Orders.
value of more than $6.5 million to our clients in terms of cost  Included in this, Fairweather Lodge No. 82 partnered with
savings by preventing the need for skilled care. That means WAMC to provide scholarships to two deserving
that for every hour of outreach service staff time invested, unaccompanied youth (orphans) attending public school.
we returned a value of more than $800 to our clients.
 Support for basic needs such as food, clothing and  WAMC also provided scholarship funds for the Washington
State Legislature Page School to help young people learn
transportation amounted to 3% of our services. Of these, about how government works.
81% were provided to members of our Masonic family.
 7% of Masonic Lodges formally partnered with WAMC for Fundraising
Operation Masonic Relief to assist Masonic widows, older  In 2019-20 we raised $266,000 exceeding our goal of
Brethren, and members of our Masonic family in need. $152,000 by 77%. This includes $106,000 in designated
 1,942 individuals participated in Education Outreach donations, $87,000 in estate gifts, $54,000 in unrestricted
activities, including 23 workshops and information sessions donations, and $12,000 in grants.
on strategies for aging in place and independent living.  The average gift per donor in 2019-20 was $718, and the
Members of the Masonic family comprised 81% of the average revenue per gift was $359. On average, donors
participants. gave two gifts during the year. Our largest single donation
was $87,000.
Children & Youth Programs – On the Level Student Success
 Our On the Level Student Success program assisted 540  We had 241 new donors in 2019-20, an increase of 33%
over the previous year.
youth experiencing homelessness while in school during  We had an 85% increase in the number of donors who
2019-2020. Of these young people, 106, or 21% were
unaccompanied youth (orphans). We estimate that this is a increased their giving over the previous year.
value of $1.75 million per year in benefit to our communities  We started the 365 Society – a dollar a day giving program.
and taxpayers across the state. As you can see, the vast majority of WAMC resources go back to the
 Assistance with basic needs comprised 61% of support, Masonic family. However, WAMC needs the support of the brethren
transportation made up 11% of support, and assistance with and Lodges so we may help more of our older members’ age in
non-waivable program fees comprised 18% of support. place and help more of our most needy youth succeed. If 1,000
 The program is a partnership between WAMC, 13 school brothers join the 365 Society, $365,000.00 per year will be raised to
districts, 10 Masonic groups, three Tribal foundations, and
help more. WAMC needs more Brothers, especially from the


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eastside of the jurisdiction, to join our Committees and Board. Faith, earlier Mayor Hansen had shut down Seattle with slightly more
Hope and Charity – the most important is Charity. stringent orders. Even closing church gatherings, Hansen is
Go Big my brethren and celebrate. reputed to have said something like he thought God was more
interested in their praying for Him on earth than meeting Him
Thank you Grand Master & brethren. in Heaven.

VWB Larry D Foley, President-Board of Trustees, Washington Lister’s statewide quarantine seemed to help and was
Masonic Charities beginning to show results. But just as today, partisan politics
stepped in and lawsuits were filed. About six weeks later the
order was cancelled, and the State reopened. Then the
RWB Coe Tug Morgan – 1918 Flu Pandemic Spanish Flu returned with vengeance. In the 1919 Grand
Some interesting historical facts about Washington Lodge Proceedings there is a statement in Grand Master
Alonzo Emerson’s Message that he ordered that a $5.00 fine
& the 1918 Flu Pandemic and two successive levied against 35 lodges be returned. Because of the flu


Masonic Governors who died in office. quarantine ban on meetings, they could not meet to elect
officers at the time the WMC set. The Grand Master said it
An historical fact, Washington has had two lieutenant was not their fault.
governors succeed to the Executive Office after the death of Lister was the first Democrat elected to the Governor’s office
the governor; both were members of the Craft. In fact they and the youngest man so elected up to that time. At that
appear to be the only lieutenant governors to ever become election, all the other State offices were filled by Republicans.
governor. 1909 Samuel Cosgrove (the one-day governor – He was born in Yorkshire England and when he was fourteen
see below) followed by Marion Hay and Ernest Lister followed years old his family moved to Tacoma in the early 1890s. At
by Louis Hart. All four were Masons.
the young age of twenty-three he was elected to the Tacoma
Washington’s Governor from 1913 until 1919 was Brother City Council. He decided to run for governor just three weeks
Ernest Lister, a member of Lebanon Lodge No. 104 in before the 1912 election, won and was sworn in as Governor
Tacoma. on January 11, 1913. He took his oath as Governor a second
On the advice of the State’s Health time on January 8, 1917; the first person to be elected to a
Commissioner Dr. T. D. Tuttle and following second term. Lister was raised as a Master Mason in Lebanon
the lead of Seattle’s Mayor Ole Hansen, in the
late fall of 1918 to control the spread of the Lodge on September 24, 1906.
Spanish Flu, he banned all public events, Lister became ill in early 1919, took a leave of absence, was
ordered everyone to wear masks with only admitted to Seattle’s Swedish Hospital for treatment but on
Brother
Ernest Lister essential businesses to remain open. Even June 14, 1919 died from heart problems. Grand Master


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Thomas Skaggs (who issued Daylight’s Dispensation to form said that he was carried into the capitol building on a stretcher to
the Lodge) presided over his Masonic funeral services. The take the oath. The Journal continues, “On being introduced by
Lieutenant Governor Hay, Governor Cosgrove, pale and emaciated
1920 Grand Lodge Proceedings include a memorial to Brother made a brief address that sorely taxed the small remnant of his
Lister. strength. He ended his speech asking a special favor that he be
Lieutenant Governor Louis Hart, a Republican, assumed granted a Leave of Absence to go in search of health that he could
Lister’s vacant office. Hart was a Past Master of Fern Hill come back „to be governor in deed and truth.‟” A formal letter
requesting the leave of absence can be found in the Washington
Lodge No. 80 in Tacoma. Except for our first Governor Elisha Secretary of State Archives.
P. Ferry, he is the only other Governor who appears to have He served in the Ohio 14 Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War,
th
been a Lodge Master. He served as Grand Orator for joining at the age of 16, discharged honorably July 1865. Exactly
1918/1919. He gave his Grand Oration (quite long) on June where he attended public school is not listed. He was one of twelve
10, 1919 and four days later became Governor. siblings most of whom became teachers. He graduated from
Wesleyan University of Ohio in 1873, then taught and became a high
school principal in Woodsfield, Brooklyn and Cleveland. He read law
Masonic Background: Affiliated November 27, 1883 with under Hollister and Okey in Woodsfield, passing the bar in 1875. He
Evening Star Lodge #30 {Pomeroy}; our Grand Lodge records married Zephorena Edgerton in 1878 while in Cleveland, was father
do not indicate from what Lodge nor when he was raised. He to three children, Howard, Elliot and Myrn.
In 1880 he moved to Nevada to try his hand at mining, having little or
demitted February 19, 1887. no success, then to California. Finding no more success there he
moved to Pomeroy, Washington in 1882. He managed 1400 acres of
farmland in the locale plus was the local lawyer. A popular figure in
the community, he served eight years as President of the Pomeroy
School Board, he was elected mayor five times. He was a member of
the Washington State Constitutional Convention in 1889. He served
as a presidential elector in 1900 [William McKinley] and 1904
[Theodore Roosevelt]. In early 1900s he was offered a seat on the
State Supreme Court but refused the chance.
Samuel Good love Cosgrove – R[1909 – died in office] He was a serious but unsuccessful candidate for the gubernatorial
Governor just one day nomination at several State Republican Conventions. In 1908, a
newly adopted direct primary law put him in a good position to run for
Background: Cosgrove was born April 10, 1847 in Tuscarawas governor. He won the Republican primary election and was elected
County, Ohio. Why is he called ―The One Day Governor?‖ The Governor at the November 1908 election. Shortly after his election
Washington State Senate Journal for January 27, 1905 says that on he suffered a heart attack, went to Paso Robles, California for
motion of Senator Cotterill of Seattle, the Senate adjourned at 3 treatment and recovery. He returned just long enough to belatedly
o’clock to the house chamber “For the purpose of witnessing the take the oath of office. Called the “One Day Governor,” after his
inauguration of Samuel G. Cosgrove as Governor of the State of request for a leave of absence was granted, he returned to Paso
Washington.” It is described that Cosgrove entered the joint session Robles where he died March 28, 1909. His remains were returned to
with Brother/Governor Albert R. Mead escorted by a committee. It is Olympia to be buried in the Masonic Cemetery.


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Marion E. Hay who then became Governor was raised in Acacia and behave as Masons. All Masonic business can be, and in many
Lodge No. 58 in Davenport, later demitted to Tuscan Lodge #81 in places still is, transacted on the First Degree. Now Masonic lessons
th
Wilbur. He officially assumed the Governor’s Office on March 28 . are practical lessons. They have a dollar and cents value. The
However he had been acting Governor since January because of Senior Warden tells us that he became a mason in order to receive
Cosgrove’s absence from the State.
Master’s wages. There can be no misunderstanding about this
because he goes on to say that these wages are necessary for him
RWB Coe Tug Morgan to better support himself and his family and contribute to the relief of
Sources: Washington.historylink.org others not so fortunate as he. Later he states that his position in the
GL of Washington files craft is to pay the craft their wages if any be due and see that none
Washington Secretary of State Archives go away dissatisfied. We will immediately discern that although we
Seattle Public Library files paid a price for the Masonic degrees in order to work here, we
Governors of Washington by Wor. Bro. Edmond expect to receive something of equal or greater value in return. Just
S. Meany as in the workplace world we must contribute our labor in order to get
Meet the Governors by Louis A. Magrini paid. That labor in the Masonic world is committing ourselves to the
Proceedings of the GL of Washington study of Freemasonry with diligence and determination in order to
Wikipedia better understand ourselves and the world in which we live.

But the worker must be trained in the work of the Lodge just as
training occurs in the work world of today and as occurred in the
VWB Richard M. Kovak – Symbolism in EA times of operative Freemasonry. Few come to this venue with a
Degree dispositive knowledge of what Freemasonry is all about and what is
required of the mason. So, we must be taught just as the
Most of you have heard of the book by Robert Fulghum, kindergartner is taught to how to cooperatively play with others in his
―Everything I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten‖ – or her world. So also, the operative apprentice mason was taught
play fair, share your toys, obey the rules and clean up after yourself how to properly work and use the tools of his trade. And how did this
when you are done. Well the same holds true in Freemasonry. In teaching and learning occur? Why it occurred through the use of
fact, the very rules you learned in kindergarten are just as applicable symbols.
to your Masonic life as well as to life in general. However, in Masonry
we take things a bit further. Just as we take good men and try to Consider the kindergarten child. He or she receives the use of blocks
make them better, so we come to my theme here, everything I really with letters or pictures on them and miniature toys which resembled
need to know about the essence of Freemasonry I learned in the real world items and machines together with oral instruction. The
First Degree. operative entered apprentice was shown pictures on a trestle board
and taught how to use his working tools by gesture and picture as
For you see, an Entered Apprentice is a Mason. The second, third well as by words. But do not dismiss the value of symbols as simply
and so-called higher degrees are but elaborations on the way we act
agents of learning for schoolchildren and blue collar workers. Higher

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skill trades and professionals are also taught through the use of And to Paul Tillich, the existential philosopher, the symbol points
symbols. For example, mathematics and physics as well as beyond itself to something that is unquantifiable and mysterious:
chemistry, biology and many of the natural sciences make liberal use symbols open up the depth dimension of reality itself. (3).
of symbols to teach the up and coming Darwin’s and Einstein’s the Symbolism is the science of symbols and signs. In sculpture and
basics of their trades. Consider the symbol pi, the differential painting it is form and color; in language, words; in music, notes and
calculus symbol, the symbols of the Table of Periodic Elements and the markings for rests and dynamics. What allegory and parable are
the Latinized scheme of biology used to classify by family, genus and to literature and what figurative speaking is to language, so is
species the many plants and animals of this world. Cartography symbolism to our daily lives.
makes extensive use of symbols to communicate geographical In the Entered Apprentice degree, the candidate’s white garment
information. In fact, written and spoken words themselves are suggests his purity of intent. The compasses upon his breast signify
symbols for our thoughts and actions.
that he must undergo some sacrifice and suffering if he is to learn his
In Masonry we learn by symbols and what they mean and stand trade and attain the end that he seeks. His journey for light or
for. The very name symbol comes from the Greek word symbolon, education in Masonry starts in the North follows the Easter sun to the
meaning a watchword or token and this term has come to generally East, thence to the South, to the West and back into darkness. His
mean to compare, that is, to compare the watchword or token with a circumambulations must be completed several times to remind him
reality or a concept. A symbol then is the expression of an idea by of the time it takes to learn. He meets numerous obstacles via the
comparison. An abstract idea can be conveyed by a comparison with Junior Warden, Senior Warden and Worshipful Master, along the
a concrete object. A symbol is a sign or representation in the form of way almost identical in appearance and word. These seemingly
an object or a gesture which suggests something else, another thing, minor obstacles yet determine if he is to proceed and be permitted to
an idea, an image or an emotion. advance. He must always and ever be worthy and well-qualified.
Heinrich Zimmer said: ―Concepts and words are symbols, just as He must approach the altar by regular upright steps symbolizing
visions, rituals, and images are. So too are the manners and not only his regular and upright character but the path he is choosing
customs of daily life. Through all of these a transcendent reality is to walk. His obligation is a list of duties he assumes by his assent to
mirrored…Symbols hold the mind to truth but are not themselves the them. Then the Light comes and with it the notion that he is not
truth. Hence it is delusory to borrow them. Each civilization, every alone, that all of his new Brothers are on the level with him, including
age, must bring forth its own interpretations.‖ (1) the Master who extends a hand, the universal symbol of friendship
and assistance. He is presented with a white apron, for operative
Joseph Campbell stated: ―We must distinguish, therefore, between Masons a necessary article of clothing for their work, but for the new
the sense and the meaning of the symbol…all the great and little Mason a symbol of his purity and innocence and signifies that only
symbolical systems of the past functioned simultaneously on three by conscientious toil can the moral lessons of Masonry be learned. It
levels: the corporeal of waking consciousness, the spiritual of dream, is also his badge, more ancient than the Golden Fleece or the
and the ineffable of the absolutely unknowable. The term meaning Roman Eagle, more honorable than the Star and Garter or any other
can refer only to the first two…The ineffable, the absolutely order that could be conferred. He is taught that the Holy Book, the
unknowable can only be sensed.‖ (2) square and the compasses are the three great lights of Masonry.


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God’s Holy Book is his guide toward seeking further light, knowledge universality of masonry’s charity which should be as expansive as all
and education. The square is symbolic of the upright life he must of heaven itself.
lead and the compasses indicative of the bounds with which he must The ornaments of the Lodge, the Mosaic floor, the Indented
now circumscribe himself in this new life. He is taught that the sun, Tessel and the Blazing Star are also symbols. The Mosaic floor,
moon and the Master are the three lesser lights indicating reminiscent of the floor of Solomon’s Temple, tells us that life is a
respectively the great active principle ruling the world by day, the checkered pavement of good and evil, the tessellated border
passive principle governing the world by night, and the mediator or reminds us of the comforts which surround us if we only look for
agent of the two, the Master, who both rules and governs his Lodge them and the Blazing Star guides us to the seed and source of all life
and sets the craft to labor to work on their symbolic studies. and eternal life, our heavenly Creator, the Great Architect of the
He is then presented with the working tools of an Entered Universe.
Apprentice, the twenty-four inch gauge, a tool of measurement, and The Entered Apprentice is introduced to the six jewels of the
the common gavel, a tool of force. Symbolically, the twenty-four inch Lodge, three movable and three immovable. They are symbolic as
gauge tells the Entered Apprentice to divide his time, the twenty-four follows: the three immovable jewels, the square, level and plumb are
hours of the day, into three equal parts, work, sleep and the service operative mason’s tools which remind us respectively of the morality,
of God and his fellowmen. The gavel is to be used by the Entered equality and rectitude of life which masons must observe.
Apprentice to symbolically hammer off all the vices and superfluities The three movable jewels, the rough ashler, the perfect ashler and
of his mind and conscience that he might fit himself to be a worthy the trestle board remind us respectively of our rude and imperfect
stone in his Creator’s hands to do good in the world.
beings, the state of perfection which we hope to attain through our
The interchange between the Senior Warden and the Master Masonic education and work and the notion that we masons work
reveals a few more symbols and symbolic gestures. through the use of rules and design laid down by both the Master of
The new Entered Apprentice was placed in the northeast corner of the Lodge and more especially by our Divine Master in the Book of
the Lodge because as the newest Entered Apprentice he is starting Life.
out on his Masonic journey just as a building starts out with the The Entered Apprentice also learns that the parallel lines
operative masons laying the cornerstone in the northeast as the first bordering the circle are symbolic of the pillars of Jachin and Boaz,
stone of a new building. He is the new cornerstone because the symbols of strength and endurance. The point in the center of the
Lodge changes and renews itself with each new Entered Apprentice. circle is explained as the individual’s relationship to his surroundings
but can also refer to God who is center of all things. The
The Lodge is supported by three great pillars: Wisdom, Strength circumference of the circle suggests not only the boundary of
and Beauty from which he learns that when intelligence or wisdom Entered Apprentice’s conduct but also the endless course of God’s
directs the work, and strength or power does the work, then beauty power and His existence without end.
and harmony usually result. Finally, the Entered Apprentice is told that the chalk, charcoal and
Furthermore, the Lodge is covered by the blue vault of heaven clay represent freedom, fervency and zeal. There is nothing freer
symbolic of the equality and concord of Freemasonry and the
than chalk which at the slightest touch leaves its mark. So should we
be free to touch others and leave our mark of love upon them. There

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is nothing more fervent than charcoal which when properly prepare (3) Tillich, Paul, Theology of Culture, Oxford Univ. Press, (1964)
and lighted the most obdurate metal will yield. So should we be p. 59 .
fervent in attacking our problems and the problems of others melting
them into harmonious solutions. And there is nothing more zealous ©Copyright by VWB Richard M. Kovak 2012 All Rights Reserved
than clay or mother earth which is constantly used by man to create
new things. So should we creatively use our abilities to create a new
world for ourselves and others less fortunate than ourselves?
If the new Entered Apprentice pursues his studies and his work in Washington Masonic Tribune Editor - WB Dean
earnest with an open and speculative mind he is sure to discover Markley
many more meanings of the symbolism in this degree and in the end
enrich his life further with these insights and recognitions of what is
truly within all creation.
Then he can proceed to the other degrees on the firm basis that Brethren,
he has discovered already the true essence of Freemasonry and
now seeks only to deepen his knowledge and learning with new The publication has been made possible through the great effort
symbols and new interpretations to strengthen and fortify his life. and thought by those who submit articles. I am very grateful for those
When I was in kindergarten, did I know that I was learning all I articles and give great thanks! I hope that we can continue and
really needed to know in life? Of course not. But as I grew and pursue its purpose in the future days to come. The Masonic Tribune
matured through elementary school, high school and beyond I is one of the means to communicate to the membership efficient and
learned that what is really important in life are the basics of fair play, effective ideas, best practices and successful programs that were
following the rules, sharing with others and cleaning up after myself promoted in your areas.
no matter whether it was because I had made a mess in my life or I You can submit an article to me or give feedback at
was simply preparing for the next day’s labor. And so it is with [email protected]. Please have the article put in a word
Freemasonry. I did not know how much I really learned in the document in Arial format of font size of 10. Here are the due dates
Entered Apprentice degree until I sought and received further light in for the upcoming year:
masonry.  August 23, 2020
 November 22, 2020
Thank you Brethren for allowing me to share these thoughts on  February 21, 2021
symbolism with you.  May 23, 2021.
Again, I give great thanks for articles submitted, time and love they
(1) Zimmer, Heinrich, Philosophies of India, ed. by Joseph take for the love of our craft.
Campbell, Princeton Univ. Press (1960) pp. 1-2.
(2) Campbell, Joseph, Symbol Without Meaning, an essay
contained in his book Flight of the Wild Gander, originally My dad (WB Gordon Markley, 33˚, a past Potentate of California)
published by Viking Press (1969). found the poem that he forward to me. I would like to share with you.

25

So glorious and sublime
Who wears the Square upon his breast Each breathes an odor from the bloom
Does in the face of God attest,–– Of gardens bright beyond the tomb,
And in the face of man,–– Beyond the flight of time
That all his actions will compare And bids us ever build on this,
With the divine, the unerring Square, The walls of God′s own edifice
That squares great virtue′s plan.
And he erects his edifice This poem was from Masonic Odes and Poems by Robert Morris,
By this design, and this, and this. LL.D., 1876
Who wears the Level says that pride
Does not within his soul abide, Fraternally,
Nor foolish vanity
That man has but a common doom, WB Dean Markley, Chairman/Editor Washington Masonic Tribune
And from the cradle to the tomb [email protected]
An equal destiny.
And he erects his edifice
By this design, and this, and this.
Who wears the Plumb, behold how true
His words and walk! and could we view
The chambers of his soul,
Each hidden thought, so pure and good,
By the stern line of rectitude
Points up to Heaven′s goal;
And he erects his edifice
By this design, and this, and this.
Who wears the G,––that mark divine,––
Whose very sight should banish sin,
Has faith in God alone
His Father, Maker, Friend, he knows;
He vows and pays to God his vows
Before the eternal throne
And he erects his edifice
By this design, and this, and this.
Thus life and beauty come to view
In each design our fathers drew,


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