TRESTLEBOARD
FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS
GARFIELD LODGE NO. 41
October - 2009
Calendar
October
Master’s Message
BRETHREN, the Worshipful M aster is traveling somewhere
st
1 Thur
rd
Burlington-United 93, Stated 7:30
st
3 Sat
Burlington-United 93 1 Degree at Mt.
Baker 36 at 11:00 AM
6th Tue
Mt. Baker 36, Stated 7:30, Step Up
Night
7th Wed
Stanwood Chapter 76, OES 7:30
8th Thur
Camanio 19 Dinner 6:30, Stated 7:30
9th Fri
Everett Valley Scottish Rite, dinner
6:30, stated 7:30
13th Tue
Fidalgo 77, dinner 6:30, Stated 7:30
Elections
15th Thur
Garfield 41 dinner 6:30, Ladies invited.
Stated 7:30 Step Up Night
16th Fri
Everett Valley Scottish Rite, dinner
6:30, stated 7:30
20th Tue
Whidby Island 15 Dinner 6:30 Stated
7:30 Elections
22nd Thur
Dist. LOA meeting, 7:30, Fidalgo 77
26th Mon
Anacortes Chapter 59, Royal Arch. Pot
luck 6:30 Stated 7:30
“Deep in the Heart of Texas.”
Fraternally,
Bob Morrison
Worshipful Master
Wisdom from the West
Brethren, it is hard to believe that yet another year has
passed. This month is Step Up Night and next month is the
election of officers, with the installation scheduled for
November 28th at 2:00 PM.
I would like to thank the many well-wishers who have
given me moral support during my recent illness. I seem to
have gotten the infection behind me and am finally getting
my old “zip” back. We sure missed going to the Salmon
BBQ, which I understand was a success. That sure would
have beaten hospital food! :-)
We hope that next year will be an exciting one. We
plan a theme of Growth. Growth of the Lodge and growth
in Masonic knowledge and wisdom. We hope to perfect
our ritual, and learn more of what is behind it, and
Masonry in general. We also hope to work on our Lodge,
and on making ourselves more known to the people of La
Conner. We will need greater attendance from members
and more interactive programs with the community. We’ll
try to make the meetings worth the effort of attending.,
with speakers and programs.
Fraternally,
Steve Osborn,
Senior Warden
Refreshment from the South
th
27 Tue
Langley 218 dinner 6:30 Stated 7:30
This month for dinner we'll be celebrating Octoberfest. Brochs,
German potato salad, sauerkraut and other fixing s; so come
with an appetite! At Langley's stated last night Garfield took
the traveling gavel. I hope other lodges will show up to take it
away, good luck!
Fraternally,
Marty Leukhardt,
Junior Warden
Officers
Worshipful Master
WB Robert Morrison..........................(360) 675-2482
[email protected]
Senior Warden
WB Stephen M. Osborn......................(360) 387-1149
[email protected]
Junior Warden
Martin Leukhardt................................(360) 679-4563
[email protected]
Treasurer
VWB Mark Wiggins............................(360) 675-9154
[email protected]
Secretary
WB David McCuistion........................(360) 629-0568
[email protected]
Chaplain
WB Paul F. Steinsiek..........................(360) 675- 9623
[email protected]
Marshal
Robert Little...................................(360) 675-6178
[email protected]
Senior Deacon
Norm Hamrick.....................................(360) 720-6860
[email protected]
Junior Deacon
Bruce Lindsay...................................(707) 616-3331
[email protected]
Senior Steward
TBA
Junior Steward
TBA
Organist (Musician)
WB Frank Nelson................................(360) 675-9485
[email protected]
Tyler
WB Willis Jacobs.................................(360) 679-4306
Deputy of the Grand Master in District No. 9
VWB Marion A. Windell.....................(360) 678-6893
[email protected]
TRESTLEBOARD
GARFIELD LODGE, F. & A. M., No. 41
Editor: Stephen M. Osborn, 26 N Sunset Drive, Camano Island,
W A 98282-8607
All opinions expressed within the Trestleboard are those of the
respective authors alone and do not represent Garfield Lodge’s
views or policies. Please send any requests for reprinting articles
to the Editor. Steve Osborn [email protected] or (360)
387-1149
On the Secretary’s Desk.
Masonry is grounded upon moralistic virtues,
Altruistic behavior of honor is what we choose.
Solemnly, we promise to our word to be true,
On bended knees at the alter in all we agree.
Never to cheat, wrong or defraud in our daily walk,
Interacting to caution against a breach of fidelity,
Committed to do good unto all is our bedrock.
All our duty, honor and reputation we will not trifle,
Living with prudence, temperance and discretion.
Truth we continually seek and to our craft be faithful,
Relief to all when necessary for their protection.
Universal benevolence we zealously inculcate,
Injustice cannot be hidden from the All-Seeing Eye,
Solomon the King and Hiram we dutifully imitate,
Masonic Altruism we demonstrate until the day we die.
Bikes for Books at LaConner Elementary School.
School has started again and it is time to display our
four bikes in the LaConner Elementary School Library for
the upcoming semester. We have a donation for two bikes.
If any Brother desires to contribute to the program let me
know. We will soon be purchasing the bikes for the school.
Masonic License Plates
As of August 10, 2009 the State has issued 1,632 plates
for cars and trucks, 75 for motorcycles and 29 for
trailers. That is a total of 1,736
While that is a terrific number, I do believe we can do
better. 2,000 seems in view. I would ask that you help us
mount a new and vigorous marketing campaign to get that
logo out there on the road.
Having said that, let me acknowledge that this plate is
not for everybody. Some have their own vanity plates,
some even have Cougar and Husky plates. We have to
respect their own choices. We are, after all, a society of
free thinking friends. We are not out of some cookie cutter
mold.
So, for those so inclined, the Masonic License plate is
a great way to shout your pride in the fraternity. But
remember two things.
1. You have to ask for the Help Kids Speak license plate.
2. Once it is on your vehicle you are required to drive
friendly.
MWB Bill Miller
PGM of Washington
SGIG, Scottish Rite of Washington
The Power to Choose
We
We
We
We
We
We
We
We
We
can
can
can
can
can
can
can
can
can
choose
choose
choose
choose
choose
choose
choose
choose
choose
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
LOVE rather than HATE
LAUGH rather than CRY
CREATE rather than DESTROY
PERSERVE rather than QUIT
PRAISE rather than GOSSIP
GIVE rather than TAKE
ACT rather than PROCRASTINATE
GROW rather than STAGNATE
PRAY rather than CURSE
W hat we choose can influence our daily lives in many ways.
W e can choose to have another dull, dreary day or we can choose
to wake up to a happy, enthusiastic and productive day.
Taken from an article by --- then …
Deputy Grand Master, Richard A. McCartea; Fall 1999
Retrieved from Stars of Washington, 8/23/09
Have a great M asonic Day – everyday. See you in Lodge.
_____ ___ _____
The Lost Symbol
a review by
W B Steve Osborn, 32E
HAVE just finished reading Dan Brown’s new novel, The
Lost Sym bol. As with all of his novels, it is almost impossible
to put down until the last page. It is action packed, with the
pressure never letting up until the denouement.
M r. Brown is not a M ason, but he has done a lot of
homework, as he has with all his novels. He rather overstates that
all of the rituals are real. M uch of his “M asonic Ritual” can be
gleaned from so called exposes by anti-M asonic authors, much of
which is drawn from Leo Taxil’s oft’ quoted 1894 through 1897
self-confessed hoax about Freemasonry, which was designed to
suck in the Catholic church and then embarrass it when his truth
was revealed. Some of the other “ritual” is drawn from other
countries and other times.
Freemasonry is a fraternal order which is dedicated to
making good men better; to make them a positive force in the
world. To become a Freemason, one must affirm a belief in God,
but there is no religious requirement beyond that, so worthy men
of all faiths are welcome to join the fraternity. I have brothers of
many faiths, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and others,
spread around the globe. I value them all.
As Langdon has often repeated in Brown’s novels, one of the
great tasks of initiation is to “Know Thyself.” This means, in
essence, that one must spend a lot of time studying, thinking,
meditating on the Universe, on our place in it, where we fit in in
the overall picture. The ancients spent years perfecting themselves
before they could even be considered eligible to partake in the the
M ysteries. M asons, today, do not have such a disciplined, lengthy
preparation. Upon application and a vote of acceptance, the
neophyte takes his three degrees over a fairly short period of time
and becomes a “M aster M ason.” W hat one gets out of M asonry
is dependent on what he puts into it. For many, it is a pleasant
I
way to spend an evening with friends. It takes years of study to
truly become a M aster M ason, to gain that introspective
knowledge which is concealed within the symbols of M asonry.
There are many books, written by scholars, M asons and nonM asons alike, which can facilitate one’s attaining that
knowledge, but it is not handed out on a silver platter; it
requires effort.
Brown’s protagonist, Robert Langdon, has brought this
up in each of his adventures, and I am sure will continue to do
so in future novels. Brown also uses the Noetic Sciences as part
of the plot. This is a fascinating study on its own, and will no
doubt have many hits on its sites since the book came out. They
have put an informative section on their site about the novel.
Each of Brown’s novels has precipitated a flood of visitors
to each novel’s plot locations. I am sure the same thing will
happen in W ashington D.C. Thousands of visitors with the
novel in one hand and a street map in the other will swarm the
streets of W ashington, trying to verify the novel. There will, no
doubt, be many seeking out M asons to question them about the
novel and the practices related in the novel. Some may elect to
join the fraternity. And, of course, the anti-M asons will
doubtless be out in force as usual, trotting out their lies and
half-truths which, no matter how often refuted, spring up like
weeds in a garden.
The M asonic Society, the M asonic Services Association of
North America, and the George W ashington M asonic
M emorial have set up an informational site for those with
questions after reading the novel. Possibly, a side effect will be
an increased understanding of Freemasonry and its place in
the world.
M y recommendation? It is a great read! I couldn’t put it
down. That man really knows how to spin a yarn. But don’t
accept everything you read at face value. Remember, it is a
novel, not a history text, and whatever fact must be twisted to
make the plot work is done.
Now I’ve got to wait several years for his next one, darn it!
—–—
WEAN YOURSELF
Little by little, wean yourself.
This is the gist of what I have to say.
From an embryo, whose nourishment comes in the blood,
move to an infant drinking milk,
to a child on solid food,
to a searcher after wisdom,
to a hunter of more visible game.
Think how it is to have a conversation with an embryo.
You might say, “The world outside is vast and intricate.
There are wheatfields and mountain passes,
and orchards in bloom.
At night there are millons of galaxies, and in sunlight
the beauty of friends dancing at a wedding,”
You ask the embryo why he, or she, stays cooped up
in the dark with eyes closed.
Listen to the answer.
There is no “other world.”
I only know what I’ve experienced.
You must be hallucinating.
Rumi,
Sufi Poet,
1207-1275
October
Birthdays
October
Masonic Anniversaries
WB Gene VanStaalduine..........................................10/23
Russell Moore.............................................................10/21
Perry Fernandez.............................................10/21/2004
Roscoe Cohen..................................................10/21/2004
Silvero T. Calulot...........................................10/24/2004
Norman Hamrick...........................................10/29/2005
Garfield Lodge No. 41
F. & A. M. Of Washington
P.O. Box 759
La Conner,
WA 98257-0759
GARFIELD ¹ 41 TRESTLEBOARD
October 2009