| Los Altos Lodge No. 712: | Last Updated on June 8, 2000 |
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Hi Everybody,
Just a few notes this month about what has been happening. First, a big congratulations to Worshipful Roland Voss, who served as Master of Los Altos Lodge in 1980. Shortly thereafter he moved to San Andreas, and there affiliated with Calaveras Lodge No 78. On Saturday May 6, 2000, Wor. Roland received the Hiram Award at Calaveras Lodge. My son Jason (Jr. Steward ) and I were there representing Los Altos Lodge. We got to see old photos of Bill Henry, Bruce Pruitt, Glen McBride, and others who went to San Andreas in 1982 to erect a garage on the land Roland owns. It turns out Roland was hit by a truck that year and had both legs broken and was in casts for 9 months. The Hiram Award ceremony was well attended, and Jason and I had a great time.
Jason, who is still only 20 years old, now has visited about nine lodges in California, and once again was noted by their Master to be the youngest Master Mason ever to sit in his lodge. Pretty soon that will end, but everybody has had lots of questions for him about his experiences. The most common one, based on an incorrect statement made by a misinformed Brother during our last Grand Lodge annual communication, had to do with membership in DeMolay. If a young man who is a DeMolay joins a Masonic Lodge in one of the 19 state which allows men under the age of 21 to become Masons, then his membership in DeMolay is not affected at all. As most of us know, Jason right now is an affiliated member of our lodge, having received his three degrees in Illinois, and is also very active still in DeMolay, currently serving as the Master Councilor of his chapter. It is amazing, and sad, how that one untrue statement about DeMolay has spread throughout California!
We should have a new entered apprentice in our lodge. Bro. Jose (Pronounced in the Portuguese way, with a hard "J" not as "H") Vilas was initiated on May 15th. Congratulations and welcome Bro. Jose.
Remember, the July Stated meeting will be held on the second Monday in July. We voted to have the meeting moved so that brethren can enjoy a longer 4th of July weekend.
Congratulations to Worshipful John Runcie 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, on receiving his 50-year pin from the Scottish Rite.
Los Altos Masonic Temple will be undergoing some improvements between now and year-end, in preparation for our 50th anniversary in the year 2001. We plan to reupholster the Marshall, the Deacons and Wardens chairs, repaint the entire lodge room, and make some changes in lighting. Later, we may even improve the heating and air conditioning. Please come to our Temple board meetings in the fireside Room, (every 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 pm) to provide your input into this process.
Bro. Flemming Nielsen has resigned as our Temple Manger. He has done a wonderful job for us. I give a big THANK YOU to Nielsen, and if you see him, be sure to do the same. We are now looking at alternatives to how to handle the job, with a possibility of Flemming staying on part-time, and getting an assistant. If you have any thoughts about this, please be sure to contact me, or one of the Board Members, or even better, come to the Temple board meeting, which is open to all members of Los Altos Lodge.
Brethren, the Temple Board is made up entirely of members of Los Altos Lodge. Los Altos Lodge owns 100% of the shares of the Los Altos Temple Association. The temple board members must act as a body in the best interest of fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities, not just to the non-profit organization which the temple association is, but also to their constituents - US ! We need to be clear to our board members what we want them to do on behalf of us. That does not mean that will always happen, for there may be conflicting desires, or situations which are too costly, or not timely, etc. But the important thing is to let the Board members know what we want. Otherwise, they are just guessing.
One final note: This concern Parliamentary procedure. Most of us are well aware that Robert's Rules of Order are not followed in any Masonic Lodge, nor should they be. Many items in Parliamentary procedure are not observed by Masonic Lodges. For example, no motion to adjourn is ever in order. We have a closing ceremony we use, and we do not "Move to adjourn." Masonry, as a fraternity, observes certain customs, which are more "friendly" than Robert's rules of Order permit. For example, a motion to "Call the Previous Question" or just "Question" (i.e to end debate on a matter) is frowned upon. The proper way is for the Master to inquire if any brother present has anything further to say, and then for the Master to call for the vote. (We never want a brother to go away feeling he did not get a chance to say what he wanted to.) In some circumstances, it may be necessary, if lengthy debating is obvious, that the matter be referred to a committee, and a committee meeting be! called to hear all brethren at length, look at documents, make additional inquiries, etc. Grand Lodge has provided to the Wardens at the Wardens retreats information about many of the differences in Parliamentary procedure. More about this in a future trestleboard.
In closing let me wish all fathers (members or not) a Happy Fathers Day.
Fraternally,
Robert W. Martin, P.M.
Master
The Sun Is In The West
As we get closer to the half-century mark for our Lodge we have a lot to look back on. I was talking to Wor. Ed Fentum PM, and he has volunteered to be on the Anniversary Committee and one of the main items he is interested in is completing the "History of Los Altos 712". I have heard that some of the Past Masters and members have already recorded some of the history. If we put all of it together we hope to have a book out in July 2001.
I have asked the Temple Board to look back over their records and have a chapter regarding some of the highlights about managing the property and how we struggled in the beginning and all the contract and volunteer work it took to get our Lodge to where it is today. We are looking for all inputs and that includes the ladies. I'm sure they have some stories to tell. We need items like visitations, trips, parties and celebrations, anything that you think might be of interest to the newer members that have joined in the last ten years. I myself have heard some of the stories but I would like to know more about my Lodge.
Now a word as Officers Coach. What if we had a war and no one came? That would be a Win-Win. What if we had an Officers practice and not every one came? That is a lose-lose. Those that came would find it difficult to do their work without the others to work with as a team. Those that didn't come would not know how to work with the rest of the Officers. If we tried to put on a degree with this type of practice the Candidate would wonder what he was getting into. It is important that when a practice is called that every one is there. You may know your part but that part has to work within the frame work of all the other parts. Doing good degree work is not for us, it's for the candidate.
Bill Malmstrom, P.M.
Senior Warden
GRAND MASTER'S ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
All Lodge members, their ladies, family members, and friends, are invited to attend a special open presentation after dinner at 7:30 PM on September 11 [not on July 10, as was printed in this TB], in the Lodge Room preceding our scheduled Stated Meeting:
[This date change was made after the TB was printed because it had already been decided that July 10 will be a Lodge "Stag Night" and that no Ladies will be present.]
Wor. Franklin Sing will present, on behalf of last year's Grand Master M.W. Melville H. Nahin, the Grand Lodge's Grand Master's Achievement award to our 1999 Officers!
This 1999 award is being made to only 32 of the more than 400 lodges in the state! The lodges receiving this award are Lodge No.'s: 3, 32, 35, 58, 93, 178, 259, 283, 295, 380, 381, 407, 417, 442, 469, 480, 532, 574, 508, 614, 620, 626, 632, 635, 712, 771, 789, 799, 804, 813, 839, and 845. Only 9 of these lodges are in Northern California, and those lodges that are near to Los Altos include the cities of Lafayette (480), Sacramento (3, 58, & 798), and St. Helena (93).
Los Altos Lodge has also won this prestigious award several times in past years, including: 1984 (W. E. Henry, PM), 1986 (Frederic C. E. Oder, PM), 1987 (John W. Runcie, PM), 1993 (Dan R. McDaniel, PM), and 1994 (Paul E. Ladd, PM).
Congratulations to our Lodge Officers of 1999.
Patrick Bailey, Jr. Past Master
THE FIVE SENSES OF "THE SECOND DEGREE"
By James T. Hutson, FM, H.A., ECRL B. Franklin Summers, FM, H.A., ECRL
(The following paper is from the El Camino Research Lodge archives, and is as timeless and distinctive as are our degrees. Submitted by El Camino Research Lodge Master Lou Orozco, H.A.)
Hearing, Seeing, Feeling, Tasting and Smelling are introduced into the lecture of the Fellowcraft as a part of the instructions of that degree. Early lecturers of the eighteenth century in explaining the five senses referred to them in the Entered Apprentice Degree as referring to the five principles who make up the lodge. The subsequent reference to the winding stairs and the inclusion of the five senses into the Second Degree were modern improvements.
As these senses are the avenue by which the mind receives its perceptions of its surroundings and thus augmenting its storehouse of ideas, they are most appropriately referred to that degree of Masonry whose professed objective is the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge.
HEARING - Is that sense by which we distinguish sounds either harmonious or cacophonous as we so determine. By it we are enabled to enjoy the pleasures of society, and reciprocally to communicate to one another our thoughts and intentions - our purposes and desires. We also receive instruction when ignorant, admonition when in danger, and reproof when in error. We can control hearing by our degree of attentiveness or supplement physical hearing by observation.
SEEING - Is that sense by which we distinguish objects and in an instant of time, without change of place or situation, view all the varieties of nature and of man's handiwork. By this sense we find our way on the pathless ocean, traverse the world, determine its figures and dimensions, and delineate or define them. From all things great and beautiful we arrive at seeing is believing. But, being physically blind does not deter us from "seeing", as we can learn to adapt within our own abilities.
FEELING - Is that sense by which we distinguish the different qualities of bodies: such as heat and cold, hardness and softness, roughness and smoothness, shape, solidity, motion, pleasure and pain. Also feeling is a condition of mind and understanding where emotions, perceptions and learning are placed into our perceived frames of reference.
SMELLING - Is that sense by which we distinguish substances for definition by comparison as acceptable or disagreeable. This olfactory stimulation conveys different impressions to the mind. By it we learn to differentiate between that we appreciate and that which is oppressive as associated with other particular exposures - even to the extent of "time to smell the roses".
TASTING - Enables us to make a proper distinction of the savories of a substance, liquid or experience. Taste buds and olfactory senses guard the alimentary and internal organ actions from experiences learned by others and taught us, which we can choose to protect ourselves. Tasting also refers to sampling which we as Masons must do to arrive at our perceived concept of what makes a true Mason - an objective of the degree. Smelling and Tasting are inseparably combined if we are to learn. Of the five senses, hearing seeing and feeling only are deemed essential to Masons. Tasting and smelling are therefore, not referred to in the ritual, except as making up the sacred number five.
References to the senses are made throughout Masonic writings. In addition to the five senses, we should add pleasure, memory, imagination, reasoning, moral perception, and all the active powers of the soul. For instance, without the sense of pleasure, we do not get reinforcement to want, to will and activate doing; to experience, to select and to make choices. The choices we make determine who we are, how we act, and behave as a Mason. By the senses we observe things and assimilate them. Our mind is not unlike a computer and we use our interrelated senses as output in expressing ourselves. Without them we would not be able to communicate or have any basis for judgment. The loss of any one sense has traditionally been treated as a handicap, but we can compensate for the loss by strengthening the other senses through learning, ability and understanding.
The original five senses, however, have been known since ancient times and no communication is possible or experience perceived without some of the senses combined. The world events would pass by unnoticed if not for our senses. We are not rocks in the road that perceive nothing and are worn away by time. The newborn is like a sponge and perceives the world openly and learns from experience. We, as Apprentice Masons, have the opportunity to use our senses to relearn many truths if we but actually direct our senses.
May 2000 - Masonic Homes Endowment Month
[The letter from the Grand Master was included.]
Ten Master Masons, happy, doing fine;
One listened to a rumor, then there were nine.
Nine Master Masons, faithful, never late;
One didn't like the "Master," then there were eight.
Eight Master Masons, on their way to heaven;
One joined too many clubs, then there were seven.
Seven Master Masons, life dealt some hard licks;
One grew discouraged, then there were six.
Six Master Masons, all very much alive;
One lost his interest, then there were five.
Five Master Masons, wishing there were more;
Got into a great dispute, then there were four.
Four Master Masons, busy as can be;
One didn't like the programs, then there were three.
Three Master Masons, was one of them you?
One grew tired of all the work, then there were two.
Two Master Masons, with so much to be done;
One said, "What's the use?" - then there was one.
One Master Mason, found a brother - true!
Brought him to the lodge, then there were two.
Two Master Masons didn't find work a bore;
Each brought another, then there were four.
Four Master Masons saved their lodge's fate;
By showing others kindness, then there were eight.
Eight Master Masons, loving their lodge's bright sheen;
Talked so much about it, they soon counted sixteen.
Sixteen Master Masons, to their obligations true;
Were pleased when their number went to thirty-two.
So we can't put our troubles at the lodge's door;
It's our fault for harming the lodge we adore.
Don't fuss about the programs, or the "Master" in the East;
Keep your obligation by serving even the very least.
By J. William Stroup, Jr.
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