| Los Altos Lodge No. 712: | Last Updated on October 22, 2004 |
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Brethren, the month of October has been a whirlwind month. So much is going on. First let me review our activities in September. Because of the Labor day holiday, our meeting was held very late in the Month. One of the few months when our LAMTA met prior the stated meeting. Speaking of LAMTA, read the update in this issue.
Our Roll Call night was well attended and a great evening. Approximately thirty brothers were in attendance. Many brothers wishing to come were committed to other functions and sent messages instead. About twenty brothers sent messages of greeting and well wishes to all the brethren. All in all it was a wonderful experience, particularly for our two newest Master Mason. I am pleased that this has become a permanent part of our annual calendar. It was our fourth consecutive year and each has proved to be moving and educational. The meeting was preceded by a Masonic education talk presented by Bro. Edgar Fentum on and about the ‘point within a circle’.
After the Labor Day holiday we returned to Monday night practices for our degree work. By the time you read this we should have Brother Barnet as our newest Fellowcraft. Congratulation! Brother John Barnet made a splendid proficiency at the October stated meeting. We are looking forward to a similar splendid proficiency sometime in November and have scheduled a tentative third degree for November 29.
The October stated meeting was a great event. Primarily for the recognition ceremony of our very highly esteemed and dedicated Brother Dan McDaniel. We had planned this Honoring Ceremony in May when Dan assumed the position of ‘Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandry of Knights Templar of California’, what made it even a happier event was that the Brethren of Los Altos Lodge No. 712 selected Dan as this year’s Hiram Award recipient. The Most Worshipful Howard D. Kirkpatrick, Grand Master of Masons of the State of California,was pleased and honored to be present for Dan’s Hiram presentation as were the Grand Secretary, Very Worshipful John L. Cooper III and the Grand
Marshal Worshipful Myron Tisdel.
The dinner prepared by our last year’s Hiram Award recipient Bro. William ‘Bill’ Malmstorm was an excellent Octoberfest, of sauerbraten, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, string beans, bread and butter. All preceded by a great salad and proceeded by apple turnovers and ice cream. It’s a wonder we were able to keep our eyes open during the ceremonies.
Our stated meeting was held after the ceremonies were concluded. The meeting covered the Grand Lodge upcoming resolutions. The brethren were able to express their concerns and ask questions of the officers for further information. Our brother and Assistant Grand Lecturer A. Glenn MacBride was available and was able to clarify many of the questions.
The lodge also voted to allow Bicentennial Daylight Lodge in Sacramento confer the Master Mason degree on our brother Rick Matchell. Rick retired last year and lives on his farm in Sacramento. He was agreeable to having Bicentennial Lodge perform his second degree proficiency and confer the third degree. I visited Bicentennial on September 21 and discussed the matter with Wor. Bruce Cunning-ham, their Master, They are more than pleased and willing to confer the degree. When a date for the degree is fixed, I will so inform the brethren.
This November will be a very important month for all Americans. The Presidential elections will take place the day after our stated meeting. Our building for the last three years has been used as a polling place in Los Altos. I believe this will be the first time it is to be used in a Presidential election. It has proved so convenient for the Election Board that it is also used as a place to instruct election poll workers.
Masons have always been in the forefront of free elections, and we are honored to have the polling place in our lodge room. LAMTA has voted to provide the government with this service free both for instruction as for polling. Brother Lou Orozco has been instrumental in establishing this relation with the Election Board. I would welcome comments from our brothers about this decision.
Because our meeting is the evening prior to the Presidential election, we will be asking a few volunteers to stay after the meeting and help set up the lodge room for the next days voting.
Please remember to vote.
Fraternally,
Ernest Casilo
Master
It was good to read the article on Masonic Landmarks in the last issue of the Los Altos Lodge Trestleboard, and I believe there is a great need for more information on such subjects. Not only because it is interesting, but also because we truly need to understand our fraternity, if we are going to attract others to it.
For example, as the article pointed out we hold the Masonic Landmarks as the original guide of our fraternity. The problem however, is that upon close examination of the landmarks which we claim to be original today, we find that they really are not. The article further infers that these Landmarks are unchangeable and without them Freemasonry would no longer be Freemasonry.
If in fact this is true, we are indeed in trouble, because the landmarks we follow today are not truly the original landmarks, and have indeed been altered to conform to membership needs at the time of their change.
For example the article correctly states that we are not allowed to discuss religion and politics in any of our lodge meetings. This means while we sit in a tiled lodge meeting. There is no prohibition against these discussions outside of a tiled meeting, and such discussions regularly take place. However, is this rule really one of the original landmarks, and is this rule really practiced in every lodge around the world? Lets take a look and see.
According to Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia “The Ancient Landmarks” are American exploitations, “started with the greatest pretensions, produced considerable dissension and dispute, and ended in fiasco. This fad was until well toward the end of it, entirely confined to the United States, the rest of the Masonic world giving little heed.” Further, there is no mention of Landmarks until 1717.
So to say that “If they were removed, Masonry would cease to be Masonry” is also to say that Masonry did not exist before 1717, and of course we know from many ancient records, that it did in fact exist long before 1717.
Another fact is that once we have agreed on just what these “Landmarks” really are, we find that in no way are they universal or unchangeable. Coil’s says that, “The first occurrence of the word, landmarks, anywhere in Freemasonry was in the General Regulations adopted by the premier Grand Lodge in 1723”. It then goes on to plainly say that, “Since the Constitutions in 1723, obliterated some and modified others which had existed under the Gothic Constitutions, the earlier tenants and customs could not be called unchangeable landmarks”.
Finally, Masonry today exists in many and varied ways in as many countries around the world. It would be immature and parochial for us to assume that what works for us here in California, must also work for all Freemasons in every corner of the globe. If that were true, we would not have more than 50 Grand Lodges here in the United States, not to mention the hundreds of other Grand Lodges around the world, some having as many as 1,500 member lodges therein. Not to mention that some we choose to hold Masonic communication with, and others (Just as much Masonic institutions), with whom we do not.
Space prohibits further examination of this subject in this column, but I assure you that nothing is written in stone regarding Masonic landmarks and constitutions. I will be happy to further discuss this subject with any brother interested.
Fraternally,
Brother Luis J. Orozco, II
Senior Warden
Brethren, I hope you will have a chance to read this before the November Stated Meeting. As many of you are aware, tragic family events over a two year span were quite trying in my personal life. So much so, that I had to drop out of the line in order to cope with family matters.
Fortunately things have greatly improved in all respects, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the brethren for their emotional support during that time.
Having been informed there would be a vacancy in the position of Senior Warden next year, I consulted with other officers and brethren, because it appears this would be an excellent opportunity to complete my obligation. Since, there seems to be agreement among the officers that I would be welcome to fill that chair, I am humbly asking the brethren for their continued support during the ensuing Masonic year in the role as Senior Warden.
Fraternally,
Brother Harold Bain
Brethren in my January message I mentioned that we should do something about our dues structure. Some brother have reminded me that this is an issue that has to be taken care of, if not now, then in the near future. Please come prepared to discuss this at the November meeting.
Our options in this matter are: (a) we can continue as we are and in a few years (perhaps 10) be charging dues amount. (The per capita for 2005 is $26 per member); (b) we can raise dues from our current $40 per year to any amount the lodge deems necessary; (c) we can change our dues structure to cover dues and a per capita.
Last year Grand Lodge voted to allow varying the dues requirement of our by-laws by allowing lodges to charge a fixed portion and the per capita. With our current structure we have to send $26 of this years dues to Grand Lodge. In fact we send more, as our life members do not pay any dues and the account used for their deposits, returns a far less amount than the $26 per member required by GL. We must cover the short fall. This is causing financial problems in other lodges.
Thankfully we have the building resources to supplement the lodge. Per capita is one reason why our annual lodge budget increases. We are under no distress, and will probably never be financially distressed as long as we own the building, however addressing this potential problem is the right thing to do if we are to consider ourselves as prudent administrators of our brothers resources. Please let me know your thoughts on the matter.
Fraternally, WM
Brethren, at the November meeting, it is required that we hold election of officers. Normally this is a formality as our officers are usually serving in the line. Also we must select at least three (3) new members to the Los Altos Masonic Temple Association (LAMTA). This year we must elect four, due to one member assuming the position of Senior Warden while he is still serving the last year of a three year term. I hope some of you brethren will consider serving on the board. One member has mentions that he may not be able to continue, in that event we will need a fifth volunteer.
We will also be looking for a member to join the Trustees. We have three Trustees that oversee the Lodge financial structure. Each year one Trustee completes his term and a new one is elected.
Please consider serving in your lodge in one of the aforementioned positions.
Emergent Matters
Resolution to consider Emergent Matters
Failed
Grand Master Kirkpatrick's Decision No. 1
Senior Deacon Qualification
Passed
Grand Master Kirkpatrick's Recommendation No. 2004-01
Grand Master's Lodge
Carryover
Grand Master Kirkpatrick's Recommendation No. 2004-02
Candidate's Fees to Grand Lodge
Carryover
Grand Master Kirkpatrick's Recommendation No. 2004-03
Lodge Funds and Property
Failed
Grand Master Kirkpatrick's Recommendation No. 2004-04
Exec. Comte. Appointments to Constitutional Bds
Passed
Grand Master Kirkpatrick's Recommendation No. 2004-05
Candidate's Contribution to the Masonic Homes, the California Masonic Memorial Temple, and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
Failed
Carry Over Recommendations
Grand Master Holsinger's Recommendation No. 1
One Day Conferrals.
Failed
Grand Master Holsinger's Recommendation No. 2
Flexible Dates for Annual Communication
Passed
2004 Resolutions
Resolution No. 04-01
Powers of the Hall Associations.
Failed
Resolution No. 04-02
Voting on Grand Lodge Budget.
Failed
Resolution No. 04-03
Advertising and Public Relations by Lodges.
Passed
Resolution No. 04-04
Add Flag Salute To All Lodge Openings.
Failed
Resolution No. 04-05
Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft Dues.
Failed
Resolution No. 04-11
Allows membership to the Ancient and Heroic Order of The Gordian Knot.
Failed
The lodge is planing a trip to the Masonic Home for any members that wish to go, on Saturday November 6. Friends and family are welcome. The cost will be approximately $10 or less and will include, transportation and lunch at the Home. We depart from the Lodge building at 10 AM. At the Home we will stay for lunch. After lunch you may visit with friends or take the tour of the facilities which has been scheduled for us. After the tour we plan on returning (3 -3:30 PM), putting us back in Los Altos approximately around 4:30 PM. So far we have ten (10) signed up, not counting three volunteer drivers with capacity to take at least 17. If more than 17 sign up, the lodge will make arrangements for transportation. Contact me (408-564-7045) or Robert Sohigian at (408-736-8970) if you wish to join us. (WM)
Our stellar Joyce Buschek is providing the November Ladies Program. As of this mailing she has not yet completely put the program together. As in the past, I’m sure she will provide an enjoyable and entertain evening.
Virginia Bailey Memorial Service
On Sunday October 31 at 1:30 PM in the afternoon, The Order of the Eastern Star will conduct a Memorial Service in Memory of Virginia Bailey at the Los Altos Lodge Building. All are invited.
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