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Issue No. 41 February 9, 2007 |
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R:.W:. Joseph R. Leo R:.W:. David L. Blasch V:.W:. John W. Cola V:.W:. Scott A. Klein Lodges of the Athelstane Cornerstone Goshen Hoffman Hudson River Jerusalem Temple Naurashank Port Jervis Stony Point-Wawayanda Wallkill Warwick West Point Archives No.
1 5/5/06 |
It's 2:45 p.m. and I've spent my whole day working on Masonic stuff instead of school work as scheduled. I have two papers due this weekend, so you can rejoice, this editorial will be brief. Yay chaos! On Tuesday, Athelstane Lodge conferred a fine Fellowcraft Degree and Wallkill Lodge conferred the Entered Apprentice Degree on Wednesday. Jerusalem Temple Lodge held a successful Brother Bring a Friend Night on Thursday and will be beginning a new Degree cycle in March. I have received word from several Brothers who took part in the LSOME video shoot last week in Syracuse, expressing their thanks for a great evening of fellowship and indicating they wished stuff like that happened more often. It really got me thinking about our District and how many Brothers take advantage of the opportunities that we have to share in each others comradery. Of course, the most obvious outlet for this is our own Orange-Rockland District Masonic Association (ORDMA), which meets the fourth Monday of every month. This is NOT a Lodge meeting, it's a social evening that also provides some entertainment, some education, and an opportunity to fin out what's going on around the District. I encourage you al to check out our next meeting, and remind the new Brothers reading this that your membership in ORDMA is free the first year you are Raised. For everyone else, it's a paltry ten dollars, but the best part is... you don't have to be a member to spend the evening with us! Just come on out and see what we're up to. I also need to plug the ORDMA Dinner dance on March 17th, and I encourage everyone to take our ads in the journal for your Lodges and businesses, in support of our Child ID programs. Complete details appear below. Well, that's it for now. I hope to see many of you at the Masters & Wardens meeting, and School of Instruction, on Monday night. Be sure to check the calendar for more happenings and remember to share this e-newsletter with a Brother. I'll see you next week! DISTRICT NEWS
Masters and Wardens Meeting A Special Third Degree Port Jervis Lodge Roast Beef Dinner George Washington's Birthday Celebration Drama Exemplification in NYC Don't forget our own Grand Lecturer's Convention which will be held on Tuesday April 10th at Hoffman Lodge in Middletown. We expect all of our Lodges to attend with their complete line of officers and as many Brothers as you can bring! Please... make plans, not excuses! Blood Drive Cancelled Library Dinner Dance ORDMA NEWS
Download the ORDMA Dinner Dance Ad Form ORDMA Calendars Now Available! DATES TO REMEMBER
SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION
The Orange-Rockland School of Masonic Instruction will convene on the second Monday of each month, at locations around the District. Instruction will rotate on a monthly basis between Ritual, Grand Lodge educational programs, and seminars on topics like Leadership and Communication. Our next School will be held on Monday February 12th at Jerusalem Temple Lodge at 8:00 p.m. The trestleboard for the School will be the Entered Apprentice Degree. Please bring your Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts for this informative evening .A brief Masters and Wardens meeting will precede the School at 7:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact the DDGM. We'll see you there! Did You Know?
There is a very interesting document known as the Graham Manuscript, dated to 1726, which contains a ritual, or more properly a catechism describing a ritual, involving the raising of Noah by his three sons (Ham, Shem, Japeth) who are in search of a magic word Noah had when he died. It is the first documentation of a raising ceremony, and had nothing to do with the principle persons in our current Drama. The Manuscript also contains some of the Hiramic legend as a separate story unrelated to Noah. The text of this manuscript is found in "Early Masonic Catechisms" by Knoop, Jones, and Hamer. The Graham manuscript, which is entitled "The Whole Institutions of Free Masonry Opened and Proved by the Best of Tradition and still some Reference to Scripture", was copied down by someone called Thomas Graham on 24 October 1726. There is no other document like it (though there are some corroborations of parts of its content to be found elsewhere). It is fantastically important to an understanding of where Freemasonry has come from. It gives many clues towards a fuller appreciation of the whole Craft than is otherwise possible today. The early date, this rich mixture, and the context into which these elements are put make this revelation, for that is what it is, particularly exciting. Here's a sample from that text: Bro 3 We have it by tradition, and still some reference to scripture…[for it caused] Shem, Ham and Japheth to go to their father Noah’s grave for to try if they could find anything about him for to lead them to the vertuable secret which this famous preacher had… Bro 4 (acting as a spiritual commentator) For I hope all will allow that all things needful for the new world was in the Ark with Noah. Bro 5 Now these 3 men has already agreed that if they did not find the very thing itself, that the first thing that they found was to be to them as a secret… Bro 4 They not doubting, but did most firmly believe that God was able and would also prove willing, through their faith, prayer and obedience, for to cause what they did find for to prove as vertuable to them as if they had received the secret at first from God himself at its headspring. Bro 5 …so came to the grave, finding nothing save the dead body almost consumed away. Taking a grip at a finger, it came away…so from joint to joint…so to the wrist…so to the elbow…so they reared up the dead body…and supported it…setting foot to foot…knee to knee…breast to breast…cheek to cheek…and hand to back…and cried out “Help, Oh Father”… Bro 4 …As if they had said “Oh Father of Heaven, help us now, for our earthly father cannot”… Bro 5 …so laid down the dead body again and not knowing what to do… Leader …so one said: Bro 2 “Here is yet marrow in this bone”. Leader …and the second said: Bro 3 “But a dry bone”. Leader …and the third said: Bro 5 So they agreed to give it a name as is known to free masonry to this day…so went to their undertakings, and afterwards works stood. Leader …Yet it is to be believed, and also understood, that the virtue did not proceed from what they had found, or how it was called, but from faith and prayer…so thus it continued…they will pass for the deed. SICKNESS AND DISTRESS
We have two items of distressing news from Athelstane Lodge this week. Sandy Weinberg, wife of RW Glen Weinberg PGSB, wrote to inform us that Glen suffered another setback in his health. Stroke was ruled out, but he has regressed in his language and walking skills. He is now at the Jewish Home at Rockleigh, NJ for an indefinite amount of time. He seems to be walking a bit better but will still need intensive rehabilitation. Visitors are reminded that he needs time to get his words and thoughts out. Glen has always been an active Brother in this District and I hope that Brothers will take time to visit him and encourage him in his recovery. Bro. Richie Schwartz (DSA) was been hospitalized with a persistent fever that the doctors think is associated with an abscessed tooth that was treated last week . He is in Morristown Hospital where his son Jeff is affiliated, so he is receiving good care and loving attention. Please keep Richie, Glen, and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Finally, we extend our condolences to Bro. Anthony C. Russo of Wallkill Lodge on the passing of his father, and hope you will also keep the Russo family in your prayers and thoughts this week. HELP WANTED
Restoration Help Wanted Copyright 2006-2007 Orange-Rockland District, GLNY F&AM. All rights reserved. |
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ORDMA Dinner Dance