Free & Accepted Masons

This month is supposed to be dark; meaning, other than the Stated Meeting, there should be no activity. However, we have scheduled the Mystery Trip for July 18. As of the latest count, we have 70 who signed up to join. As in other Mystery Trips arranged by Brother Joe Castelli and his wife, Virginia, it promises to be a great and enjoyable one.

This month, I would like to emphasize the importance of our Finance Committee. This committee was created to oversee the budget and the proposed expenditures, particularly those that were not budgeted. During my installation as Master of Mission Lodge, I mentioned the creation of this important committee of the Lodge. I emphatically made mention that there will be no financial motion, in excess of $500 that will be approved right away, until the Finance Committee has the chance to deliberate on the reasonableness and propriety of the request for funds, considering foremost the availability of funds and if it is within the budget. The Finance Committee should be given time to discuss the request as a group, not individually. If we go ahead and put to a vote a request for funds, or request for charity, of any amount, there is the danger of one brother or a group of Brethren who may come to the Lodge during stated meetings to request for contribution of, say, $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, or even more. If the Brother has solicited support for his request, then that request may be approved right away. When this happens, the Lodge has to appropriate funds, even more than the budget approved for the Masonic year and we might go over budget. We are mandated by the California Masonic Code that we cannot spend more than 30% of the Operating Income of the Lodge for social and fraternal expenditures. If a brother does not understand this, I don’t know how we can take care of our finances. I appointed Brethren whom I consider to be trustworthy and it was my belief, and it still is, that they will take care of the Lodge’s finances and be reasonable enough to consider and recommend what is good not only for one brother, but for the Brethren and the Lodge in general. The finances of the Lodge are the result of the hard work by our predecessors and brethren before us. It is, therefore, incumbent that the Lodge finances be wisely invested and expended. I am glad that the Senior Warden indicated to me that when he becomes Master of the Lodge again he will keep the Finance Committee and follow the same procedure of having them deliberate on the request for funds in excess of $500 before it is approved by the Brethren.

My idea of a charity is to first take care of our Brethren, especially those who are hurting economically. The Lodge is supposed to be there for a needy worthy Brother first, before we extend help or be so charitable to others.

In my June 2009 message, I talked about the Philippine flag as a homage to Freemasonry. Continuing on, in a letter in October 1899, Ambrocio Flores, Grand Master of the Gran Consejo Regional and at that time a general in the army of Aguinaldo, the first president of the Republic, wrote letters to the Grand Lodges in the United States appealing to them to employ their influence to help the fledgling Philippine Republic. In these letters, he compared the Philippine flag to the Masonic banner, saying ”…this national flag resembles closely our Masonic banner starting from its triangular quarter to the prominent central position of its resplendent sun surrounded in its triangular position by three 5-pointed stars. Even in its three colored background, it is the spitting image of our Venerable Institution’s banner so that when you see it in any part of the world, waving with honor amidst the flags of other nations and acknowledged by these nations, let us hope that with this flag, and through it, our common parent, Freemasonry will be likewise so honored.”