I have this picture hanging on the wall at my office, Dream – Dare – Do. I have read this poster over and over for years. It is getting old and faded but I leave it up to remind me that it is the basis of what I think is a prescription for success. We need to have the ability to dream where we want to go, the courage to dare to get there, and the ability to do what we dream and dare.
To be able to dream to assist in driving our Lodge another step towards being successful, we need to be able to understand what the need is, that is, why would anyone want to be a part of masonry anyway? The dare part asks, do we have enough resources to dare to design and implement a plan? And the Do part is implementing the plan. You must do all three to be successful. Dreams are great but without the ability to implement, does it really matter?
First the Dream. What is it that people want or could want from our Lodge? Well many things but let’s list a few. People want a feeling of community, they want friendships, fun, interesting educational traditions, and they want safety. What can we do to provide sufficient value and benefits so that our current members want to participate more and what can we do to provide sufficient value so others want to become members of our Lodge?
Second the Dare. Do we have the resources to move forward the plan? The plan which ancient Mason’s started before us and you and I, now should adjust and carry forward. Our greatest resource is our people. Our Lodge has many good intelligent members, this is our greatest asset. We do have the assets and our Brother’s are interesting, fun, diverse, smart, upright, of sound character, charitable, social and much more. We have the right people and financial resources to help. We have what it takes to implement.
Third the Do. This is the reality and implementation of the dream combined with the courage to dare to accomplish the plan. In 2008 we, the Lodge officers, hope to incorporate a few additions to our plan with hopes to provide more value to the members.
But to be successful is not simple. There is more which needs to be incorporated in order to be successful. One of them is the principals of Masonry itself, which reminds us that to be successful you must also do/implement the plan with uprightness, soundness of character and moral wholeness. This also happens to be one of our great assets.
Hope of an upright society is what many people are in search of in our society. Masonry can help in that personal search for many people. Let us do our part to make a difference in the lives we touch.
Be well and do good works.
Fraternally,
Alan Peterson, Master
April is upon us and that means it’s Ladies’ Night at the Lodge. I am still not one-hundred per cent sure of what is on tap, but I think it involves a short talk on volunteering and then some Bingo.
Thursday April 24th is the Second Degree. I know I always say it, but this is a big night in the Masonic journey of our new Brothers. Please come out and help make the night memorable for them.
On an unrelated topic, the list of famous Masons is very long and it is filled with political leaders, business movers and shakers and entertainers and athletes.
The famous Mason I am writing about was a medical doctor and a very early proponent of digging a tunnel under the English Channel connecting England with France. He introduced downhill skiing to Switzerland. He was also responsible for equipping combat solders with metal helmets and sailors with inflatable life jackets.
Not to mention he created one of the most beloved characters in literature.
Do you have any idea who I am talking about?
Before I tell you that let me take this time to remind you of a wonderful event coming up on May 30. An evening at the theatre as the Park Square Theatre in St. Paul presents Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure. Here’s the summary of the play from the Park Square Theatre’s web site:
“The game is afoot, Watson – and it is a dangerous one!” Sherlock Holmes at the height of his powers is surrounded by all the elements that fans of his exploits have come to expect: danger, intrigue, wit, humor, and surprise. With his trusted companion Doctor Watson at his side, Holmes matches wits with his arch-nemesis, the evil Professor Moriarty, and faces his greatest challenge: a chilling mystery involving a kidnapped diva, scandalous letters, and London’s seamy underworld. Winner of the 2007 Edgar Award for Best Mystery Play!
It will be a great night of intrigue, murder and a lot of fun. The cost is only $20.00 per ticket. Get your reservations in to the Lodge Secretary no later then Friday, April 25. Ok, back to my famous Mason. I bet you know now that I was writing about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He wrote fifty-six short stories and three novels featuring Sherlock.* Some of them even had Masonic references. He was a member of Phoenix Lodge 257, Southsea Hampshire.
That is it from the West this month.
Loren
*The play we are going to see was written by Steven Dietz and won the 2007 Edgar Award for Best Mystery Play!
At the risk of overstating the blatantly obvious, 2008 is an election year. One can argue that there is too much money spent on the various campaigns, the candidates engage in promulgating half-truths, etc. There is merit to these complaints, but, as Winston Churchill once said: “Democracy is the worst of all political systems…until you consider the alternatives.” Yes, there is a lot of crap that goes on during political campaigns—smears, innuendos, whisper campaigns, etc.—but we do choose our leaders through the ballot box rather than military coup d’etat, and the loser does cede his/her office to the winner without bloodshed.
What does this have to do with Masonry? I would suggest that one measure we should use in determining whom to vote for is how well a candidate’s positions gibe with the tenets of our Craft. Does he or she promote tolerance? Does he or she promote understanding? Does he or she promote freedom? Does he or she promote democracy and a faith in the basic decency of the democratic process? Let us not forget that Masons in Europe were electing their leaders in Lodge during a time when their rulers were hereditary monarchs.
I would suggest that both parties are offering up candidates whose ideals and campaign promises reflect many of the Masonic teachings as well as candidates whose ideals and campaign promises do not. The choice is up to you. Use the judgment the Great Architect of the Universe endowed you with to make your decision, guided by those values you have learned in Masonry. And, most importantly . . . VOTE!
Allan Peterson,
Junior Warden
Several months ago, one of my aunts called to tell me that we had a death in the family (one of my other aunts). In the course of our half hour conversation, she stated that she knew I had become a Mason and asked if I would like to have my uncles book collection on Masonry. Being the consummate pack rat and curiosity seeker that I am, I excitedly said “YES!”, hoping to learn a little about his history in our gentle society. You see – he was an accountant and logged-in every step of his journey through Masonry with the skill and aplomb of his trade. I knew he and my father were in the same Lodge together (Westgate Lodge No. 128 – Seattle, WA), but I knew nothing further of his journey. It seems that I am following more in his footsteps than those of my father.
Anyway, back to the book collection; one of the more interesting books that came to me by way of my aunt was one entitled, “Masonry Defined”, which presents its “liberal education” by means of questions (some 1,000+), which are then answered by the author from his considered research of many Masonic scholars. Question #734 caught my attention, the question and answer are as follows: “Preparation of the Candidate: Great care was taken of the personal condition of every Israelite who entered the Temple for divine worship. The Talmudic treatise entitled Baracoth, which contains instructions as to the ritual worship among the Jews, lays down the following rules for the preparation of all who visit the Temple: ‘No man shall go into the Temple with his staff, nor with shoes on his feet, nor with his outer garment, nor with money tied up in his purse.’ There are certain ceremonial usages in Freemasonry which furnish what may be called at least very remarkable coincidences with this old Jewish custom.
The preparation of the candidate for initiation in Masonry is entirely symbolic. It varies in the different degrees, and therefore the symbolism varies with it. Not being arbitrary and unmeaning, but on the contrary, conventional and full of signification, it cannot be altered, abridged, or added to in any of its details, without affecting its esoteric design. To it, in its fullest extent, every candidate must, without exception, submit.”
Thus we see in part, why we are parted with our outward apparel and possessions as we are prepared on our initial steps into the Masonic tradition.
Respectfully and fraternally yours,
Drew C. Bjorklund
Senior Deacon
RSVP’s are strongly encouraged.
6pm Dinner
7pm Opening of Lodge
8pm LEO Presentation
8:30 Closing
Combined Table Lodge of Macalester, Ancient Landmark and Montgomery to honor our Grand Master and to raise money for the Parters for Life.
Friday, March 28. Socail hour 5:30 to 6:30 PM, with dinner starting at 6:30 PM. The cost will be $20.00 per person. Wives, lady friends, and friends are welcome to attend.
This is open to the first 100. Don’t delay, make your reservations today. Choice of Pork Chop or Fish. Salad, veggie, wild rice and desert will be served.
Mail your check for $20.00 each to: and include your choice of pork or fish. WB Kenneth White 1621 Independence Ave N Golden Valley, MN 55427 or call at 763-545-0491.
200 Plato Blvd, St. Paul
Everybody’s favorite dice game returns with dinner, door prizes and more. Men & Women are invited. Bunco is an easy and fun game, that everyone can enjoy.
Ancient Landmark Lodge is heading to Broadway!!! Well, actually to 7th Place in downtown St. Paul. The park Square Theatre, to be exact. On Friday May 30th Ancient Landmark has a block of seats reserved to see the award winning “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure.”
The Park Square Theatre always puts on wonderful shows and this Edgar award winner for best mystery will surely continue that tradition.
Tickets are only $20.00.
We do have a block of tickets reserved and we need your reservation no later then April 25. Friday night at the theatre, what could be better?
The theatre is located at 20 W. 7th Place, a pedestrian mall that runs parallel to and between 6th & 7th Streets and St. Peter & Wabasha.
Tailgating and baseball. A pretty good combination. Midway Stadium is a great place to do both. Sunday, June 22, your lodge is having a picnic lunch and then we’re going to catch the game between the mighty St. Paul Saints and the Sioux Falls Canaries.
The game starts at 1:00. We’ll meet at the picnic spot at 11:30.
The Lodge will supply the burgers and hot dogs and condiments. Please bring a side dish to share.
The cost is $15.00 for the ticket and the picnic.
Please RSVP to the Lodge Secretary no later then May 22.
I am not sure; I have forgotten who said this:
“You rule the country but let me write the music.”
I often wonder about the background music.
Who really is writing it?
I can hear it, loudly.
I think we all do.
The music can be self-dialog or a rhythm we move to
Our health dictates the words and tunes.
I know often times my music is on auto replay.
I read a book long ago called: Think and Grow Rich.
It was a great read.
It was written in the thirty’s.
The first chapter I think is the most important.
Forget the rich part,
I will write about that another time.
Yet think about:
Think and grow.
We barely have time to think.
Mostly we are in a react mode.
It could be survival mode, catch up mode,
Or just ducking mode.
Our lives are far from the natural habitat.
We are living and creating ourselves.
What is the music of our motives any way?
I think what we do daily with our lives
Is different than it was in antiquity.
I mean different moves and reactions.
Yet, some how I think it’s all about the same thing:
To grow and become a better person,
To some how get to the next rung on the evolutionary ladder.
We keep climbing and climbing.
Going for our goals
Yet, it’s the ascent process that really molds us
The character we become molds our reactions.
One of our ladders is masonry.
To create a better man.
Are we moving upward?
Do you understand the rung you are on right now?
Who built this ladder?
What great truths were in the hands of the creator,
As He assembled this ascension?
We have:
Christian thought, |
Sumatran |
Spiritual |
WOW!
This is to just name the “few” visible rungs of the ladder.
What about the cadence of our trials and tribulations?
The slow rhythmic growth of our heart
Charity
Is and always will be our primary motive
Do we create charity; do we discover it?
I think we hear it.
We hear it in our soul
As we should.
It is music of gentile caring for others
Yet
It’s caring mostly for us.
Caring that we be authentic
That we be ourselves;
Masons.
An ancient hermitic saying.
We need not to be recognized for ourselves;
But for our efforts.
We need to see movement of our world around us.
That movement is an ascending song
Written by our Masonic ancestors.
We add to it by being a better man.
We pass it on
by realizing our music
is silently playing on the shoulders of our brothers
past and present.
in our heart
Dr. Steven E. Smith
Here are some photos the annual Ancient Landmark #5 Annual Valentine’s Dinner.
By Marge Piercy
The people I love the best
Jump into work head first
Without dallying in the shallows
And swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
Bouncing like half-submerged balls.
I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
Who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
Who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
Who do what has to be done, again and again.
I want to be with people who submerge
In the task, who go into the fields to harvest
And work in a row and pass the bags along,
Who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
When the food must come in or the fire be put out.
The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
Has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
But you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
And a person for work that is real.
Published monthly except July and August by Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5. Non subscription newsletter to members and friends.
Any article appearing in this publication expresses only the opinion of the writer, and does not reflect the official position of Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5 or the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.
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