Golden Ark # 595

Trestle Board

May 2007

Volume 10, Number 5

TRESTLEBOARD

Mon Oct 1—Regular Business Meeting. 7:00 pm

Mon Oct 8 —FellowCraft Degree 6:00 pm

Mon Oct 15 — FellowCraft Degree 6:00 pm

Mon Oct 22 — FellowCraft Degree 6:00 pm

Mon Oct 29 — Memorial Service 5:00 pm Annual Widow’s Dinner to follow

Mon Nov 5 — Regular Business Meeting – ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Contact Us

goldenark@ameritech.net

Visit our Web-Site

http://lodges.gl-mi.org/goldenark595/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

1-Sep	Sydney C Batten
1-Sep	Frank G Craig
1-Sep	Luther J Gafford
1-Sep	Robert Hropovitski
1-Sep	Charles Tidwell
2-Sep	Arnold Roberts
2-Sep	Steven Szucs
4-Sep	Bradley Auiler
5-Sep	Francis Dupon
5-Sep	Samuel Peterson
6-Sep	Ralph Thompson
9-Sep	Pedro Flores
9-Sep	Brian M Raupp
10-Sep	Lester Carroll
11-Sep	Walter Mahan
11-Sep	John Morgan
13-Sep	Duke Doleto
14-Sep	Walter Howard
15-Sep	William Judson
15-Sep	Martin Sheedy
17-Sep	Montford Niece
17-Sep	John R Scotta
17-Sep	Glenn Sylvester
22-Sep	George Fee
24-Sep	Charles Ramey
29-Sep	Ronald Tyree
1-Oct	Lawrence Poslaiko
7-Oct	John Dmytryszyn
7-Oct	Joshua Roberts
8-Oct	Lawrence Fellows
8-Oct	Robert Montgomery
9-Oct	Thomas Chapman
9-Oct	Timothy Chapman
9-Oct	Edward Roudonis
10-Oct	James Howard
10-Oct	Michael Mihail
10-Oct	Randy Thomas
11-Oct	Alex Chapman III
11-Oct	Vincent Fries
12-Oct	Ross Hubbard
12-Oct	Mathias Jansen
13-Oct	Lawrence Cooper
14-Oct	Joseph Radke
14-Oct	Donald Shrader
15-Oct	Gus Gross
16-Oct	Eldridge Mullins
19-Oct	Roscoe Miller
20-Oct	Pinkney F Chapman
20-Oct	George Kiester
22-Oct	Bennie Ferrell
23-Oct	Vincent Golia
23-Oct	George Graham
24-Oct	Robert Park
26-Oct	James H Miller
27-Oct	H Montague Miller
27-Oct	Mark Siebel
28-Oct	Enrique Jasso
28-Oct	William Jenkins
29-Oct	James Graham
29-Oct	Donald Meador

If you are to profit from Freemasonry to the fullest extent, you must work at applying the lessons in your daily life. The lessons of Freemasonry are timeless, but we learn from them by doing . Nothing worthwhile has ever been achieved without effort.

It takes effort to understand the teachings of Freemasonry, because they are illustrated by symbols and taught by allegory. What are the lessons taught by a "flight of winding stairs," or the importance of "the point within a circle?" Why were you the central character in the play set around events connected with the building of King Solomon's Temple ? What do the ruffians represent and why were you blindfolded when you met them?

When you teach by symbols and by allegory, you are talking to each man as an individual, because he interprets the symbols and the allegory according to his own experiences. That is the strength of the method, and it provides ample opportunity for men to share their interpretations with each other thereby broadening the perspectives of everyone. We call our form of Freemasonry "Speculative", because we are encouraged to ponder the meanings of the lessons taught in terms of our own experiences.

Whenever you teach by symbols or allegory, it is possible that your message may be misunderstood. There is the apocryphal story of the elementary school teacher who brought two jars of worms to school one day. In one, she poured some water and the worms continued to wriggle and squiggle like all healthy worms do. In the other, she poured some alcohol and the worms shriveled up and died. She then asked the class, "Did you all see what happened?" "Yes, teacher!" "Did you all learn from this?" "Yes, teacher!" "Well, what did you learn?" One little boy waved his hand. "Johnny, what did you learn?" "I learned that if you drink gin, you won't get worms!" Now, that probably was not the lesson that the teacher intended with this demonstration, but such are the dangers of free interpretation. To prevent such misunderstandings, it is necessary to ask questions of those men whom you respect for their interpretations or explain yours and ask for comments. Open discussions in Lodge are necessary and a useful part of our education.

MESSAGE FROM THE EAST

Brethren, Family and Friends,

WOW, this year is almost over for me, and I must tell you it’s been an exiting one. The amount of petitions we have is outstanding. Over the next three months, we will be raising 10 new brothers. So on that note, I am going to do something a little different to get everybody raised. For the month of September, we will be doing all three weeks of E.A.’s, Opening at 6:00 P.M. In October the 1st Monday will be our regular business meeting opening at 7:00 P.M. and the rest of the month will be as follows:

October 8^th F.C. degree opening at 6:00 P.M. ( 4 candidates ).

October 15^th F.C. degree opening at 6:00 P.M. ( 3 candidates ).

October 22^nd F.C. degree opening at 6:00 P.M. ( 2 candidates ).

October 29^th will be our widow’s dinner and memorial service, opening at 5:00 P.M.

November, the 1^st Monday will be our regular business meeting opening at 7:00 P.M.

November 12^th M.M. degree opening at 5:00 P.M. ( 4 candidates ).

November 19^th M.M. degree opening at 5:00 P.M. ( 3 candidates ).

November 26^th M.M. degree opening at 5:00 P.M. ( 2 candidates ). Dinner will be on this night for all newly raised M.M’s. around 7:00P.M., then finishing the 2^nd half of the degree after dinner. The number of candidates may very, due to there availability.

I would like to thank our J.W. Bro. Russ Ouellette for the great job he did on our picnic this year and all of those who helped make it a great time. I’m sure that all who attended had enough to eat and enjoyed the fellowship of all our brothers and their families. It’s always nice to see families get together and have a great time.

Speaking of get togethers, we had a great time at Brother Marty Sheedy’s 21^st birthday party held at our lodge. If you could not attend, you missed a great time. I think Brother Marty had a great time as well. At Brother Marty’s birthday party, he was presented with a Masonic ring that was purchased with money raised by donations from members of Golden Ark #595 and members of the Taylor Shrine club and also through everybody’s generosity at his party, through 50/50s Brother Marty was able to raise more then enough money to pay for his initiation into the Shrine this November. Thank you to everybody who contributed in making Brother Marty’s birthday a memorable one. HAPPY BIRTHDAY my Brother, and good luck in all your future transactions with mankind.

I had the distinct pleasure, along with several other members of our lodge, to see the 2^nd half of the M.M. degree put on by Saylersville Lodge #769 of Kentucky. Brothers if you have not yet seen this degree, try to see it in the future I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Brothers I know we have a lot of work ahead of us over the next three months, and some nights will run a little long, but remember what the end result will be…….a great addition to our lodge, newly made Brothers building and bettering our Masonic Family.

Keep up the great work.

Fraternally Yours,

William J. Clawson

Worshipful Master

TIDINGS FROM THE WEST

Hele Brothers,

October and November are both going to be busy months! We have 10 candidates scheduled! It is exciting to see all of these candidates coming through. It is my hope that we will all make these new brothers feel not only welcome to Masonry, but also welcome to our Lodge and fellowship.

I wish to thank all of you for your continued help and support!

Stay busy, Stay involved.

Sincerely and fraternally

Brother George Graham

Senior Warden

GREETINGS FROM THESOUTH

Brothers,

It’s hard to believe that Summer is almost over! It went by so fast!

I would like to thank everyone that helped out at this years picnic – THANK YOU!. Your help and support ensured that this event was another success!

We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us over the next few months, and, we are having one MM dinner for all of the new Brothers at the end of November. Tickets will be available in advance – cost is $10 – and the menu, at this time is still pending. I will need all reservations no later than November 19.

Fraternally Yours

Brother Russell Ouellette Jr

Junior Warden

___________________________________________________________________________

Letter From The Secretary

Brothers, Family and Friends,

Summer is almost gone! The kids are going back to school, Baseball season is coming to an end, Football games are starting, and Hockey season is right around the corner. Where does the time go?

We have recently submitted to the Lodge Members, a revision of the By-Laws, which will be voted on at our October communication. The revisions contain subtle changes that were deemed necessary. If you are interested in these revisions, please contact me via e-mail, or stop in to review the proposed By-Laws.

Once again, I am asking that if there are any changes to your information, such as address, telephone number, e-mail, etc., that you notify us to update the Lodge records. This information is very important for all notifications and communications. Returned postage can cause unnecessary added expenses for the Lodge.

We have also sent out a request for any Masonic educational and/or reading material that could be donated to the Lodge. We are in the process of assembling a Members Lending Library to help further and refresh our Masonic knowledge and awareness. Any and all donations would be greatly appreciated.

Until Next Month

John R Miller

WHEN ARE MEN CONSIDERED MASONS?

Masons and virtue:
When they can look out over the rivers, the hills, and the far horizon with a profound sense of their own littleness in the vast scheme of things, and yet have faith, hope, and courage -- which is the root of every virtue.
Masons and nobility:
When they know that down in their heart every man is as noble, as vile, as divine, as diabolic, and as lonely as himself, and seeks to know, to forgive, and to love their fellowman.
Masons and sympathy:
When they know how to sympathize with men in their sorrows, yea, even in their sins -- knowing that each man fights a hard fight against many odds.
Masons and friendship:
When they have learned how to make friends and to keep them, and above all how to keep friends with themselves.
Masons and life:
When they love flowers, can hunt birds without a gun, and feels the thrill of an old forgotten joy when he hears the laugh of a little child.
Masons and happiness:
When they can be happy and high-minded amid the meaner drudgeries of life.
Masons and rememberence:
When star-crowned trees and the glint of sunlight on flowing waters subdue themselves like the thought of one much loved and long dead.
Masons and aiding a distressed voice:
When no voice of distress reaches their ears in vain, and no hand seeks their aid without response.
Masons and faith:
When they find good in every faith that helps any man to lay hold of divine things and sees majestic meanings in life, whatever the name of that faith may be.
Masons and fellow man:
When they can look into a wayside puddle and see something beyond mud, and into the face of the most forlorn fellow mortal and see something beyond sin.
Masons and hope:
When they know how to pray, how to love, how to hope.
Masons and their God:
When they have kept faith with themselves, with their fellowman, and with their God; in their hand a sword for evil, in their heart a bit of a song -- glad to live, but not afraid to die! - Masons.
Masons and their secrets:
Such men have found the only real secret of Masonry, and the one which it is trying to give to all the world. These are the Masons.

''Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world. ''- JOEL BARKER