November, 1968
The North Carolina Mason
Page Seven
Left to right: T. T. Wellons, Reginald Hamlet, Nathaniel Dean,
Junior Grand Deacon, Alfred A. Kafer, Jr., P.G.M.
Airport, arriving there approxi
mately at 8:40.
On Tuesday, October 29th, this
being the beginning of the Scottish
Rite Reunion of the Raleigh Con
sistory, 1 proceeded to the Masonic
Temple where I spent most of the
day doing some degree work and
visiting with the brethren.
On Wednesday, October 30th, I
again returned to the Temple and
took part in the Reunion.
On Thursday, October 31st, I
opened the Raleigh Consistory at
1:30 and attended some of the de
gree work that afternoon. This be
ing the last day of the Reunion, the
Raleigh Bodies had a banquet in
my honor at which time, with my
family and many Scottish Rite,
York, Shrine and Grand Lodge of
ficials present, 1 was presented a
beautifully done oil portrait of my
self in full Grand Masters Regalia.
The portrait was presented on be
half of the Raleigh Scottish Rite
Bodies by M.'.W.’.James G. John
ston, Past Grand Master, and pre
sently Sovereign Grand Inspector
General in North Carolina. I ap
preciate greatly all of those distin
guished Masons taking time from a
busy schedule to be present at this
dinner. I also had the privilege of
presenting a 30-year Scottish Rite
Cap to Brother James H. Parrish
of Wendell, N. C.
The fall reunion class was named
the Grand Masters Class in my
honor, which I appreciate very
much. This brought to a close a
very exhausting but a very reward
ing month of activity in the quar
ries of Masonry.
Our aim is peace and concord.
Our goal is the removal of discord
and unhappiness. Our tools are love
and kindness.
Three Sides of the Coin
First, Faith in immortality is the
ultimate lesson of Masonic phi
losophy and needs little by way of
explanation.
It is an implicit assertion of the
worth of the human soul and a
declaration of our belief in the in
tegrity of the universe. And faith
in the Volume of the Sacred Law
means, of course, faith in the Bible,
that book we take to lead and rule
and guide our lives.
Secondly, Work, because no
worth-while national or personal
objective can be accomplished with
out work. The original Freemasons
were craftsman who worked with
essential tools at their command.
These instruments were not to be
used in speculation as men used
mathematical formula; they were
to be used by the hand in the per-
formace of physical work as a
means to the accomplishment of
the desired ends. This has a search
ing relevance to our lives and a
stinging rebuke to the inane prac
tice of wishing for ends without
using the tools to realize them.
Thirdly, Character is Masonry’s
great objective. If character fails
in Freemasons, where can we ex
pect to succeed? A man must be his
own Master if he would be a
Mason. He must be one who is able
to think for himself, and act for
himself, and this is still important.
Character is of the very essence
of Freemasonry as it is of the very
essence of the well-being of a na
tion. It is the coner-stone of per
sonal and social well-being.
It cannot be always said that
treasure is a friend, but a friend
is always a treasure.
Raleigh Masonic
Veteran Honored
On Tuesday evening, June 18th,
Brother T. T. (Toby) Wellons, of
William G. Hill No. 218, was fill
ing his regular station as Tyler
outside the door for Raleigh Lodge
No. 500. After appropriate ex
changes of knocks at the door, the
Tyler was requested to come into
the lodge and a brother volun
teered to substitute for him during
that period of time.
Once inside, W.’.Brother Robert
H. Williams, Master, ordered him
presented before the Altar, and af
ter proper remarks Brother Wel
lons was advised that he had been
elected as an Honorary Member of
Raleigh No. 500. He was further
advised that in the 68 year history
of Raleigh No. 500 that only five
men had ever been granted Hon
orary memberships (and all are
still living). The presentation took
Brother Toby by surprise to the
extent that about all he could say
was “thank you”—and one could
see that he truly did mean it.
In reviewing the Masonic back
ground of this quiet, friendly and
easy-going brother, we can find
that he has always been very much
interested in just about all phases
of the craft.
On March 10, 1907, Brother J.
C. Birdsong, Secretary of William
G. Hill No. 218, wrote Brother
Wellons advising him that at the
regular meeting of the lodge on
March 9th, his application for the
Masonic degrees received favorable
consideration, and that he had been
elected to receive same. He was
instructed to report to the Masonic
Hall on Thursday evening, March
12th, at 7:30 o’clock. He was ini
tiated March 12, 1908, Passed
March 30, 1908, and Raised April
15, 1908. He became a Life Mem
ber under the automatic clause in
1933, and presented 26-Year Cer
tificate on March 11, 1940. Grand
Lodge 50-Year Veteran’s Award
October 27, 1958, and was recipient
of the Grand Lodge’s Golden Jubi
lee 60-Year Veterans Award, on
April 16, 1968, when M.’.W.’.Bro.
Alfred A. Kafer, Jr., presented
this award to Brother Wellons, at
the same time Brother Reginald
Hamlet was honored by the same
Award.
He has the following additional
memberships to show his long time
devotion to the principles of the
Craft: Enoch Council No. 5, May
12, 1914, serving as Illustrious
Master in 1924; and received 25-
Year Certificate May 27, 1949, and
60-Year Award on May 5, 1967.
Became member of Raleigh Chap
ter No. 10, Royal Arch Masons
September 17, 1912, serving as
High Priest in 1923. 25-Yoar
Award August 8, 1947, and 50-
Year Certificate May 5, 1967. Be
came a member of Raleigh Com-
mandery No. 4, Knights Templar
on June 17, 1916, with 26-Year
Award February 14, 1941, and 60-
Year Honor on May 5, 1967. Life
Sponsor Knights Templar Eye
Foundation on June 16, 1966.
He was initiated in Oasis Tem
ple, A.A.O.N.M.S. on May 24, 1916,
Certificate No. 2891. Other infor-
Here Is Unanimity
Unanimity Lodge No. 7, A.F. &
A.M., in delightful Edenton was
host to the Third Quarterly meet
ing of the First Masonic District
held on October 25, 1968.
It was a warm pleasant evening
at half after six that the brethren
and their guests gathered in the
great dining room for a sumptuous
feast of fine foods prepared and
served up by the pretty ladies of
our Eastern Star.
At 8:00 P.M., Bro. E. P. Robey,
Master of Unanimity Lodge No. 7
welcomed the guests and intro
duced Bro. Lindy P. Harrell, D.D.
G. M. of the first district. Brother
Harrell called the roll of the
lodges and found about 80 present,
representing all eight lodges in the
district. He then called for a re
port of the activities of the lodges
during the preceding quarter, July
through September. These reports
showed the district to be active
with a growing membership.
A motion was made and carried
that this meeting be known as the
H. A. “Izzy” Campen meeting in
honor of Brother Campen, who was
called to the Celestial Lodge Above
in July. Brother Campen had been
a Master Mason for 45 years and
had been the driving force in his
home lodge as well as a great help
to many nearby lodges. He always
answered the call for help, both in
the ritualistic work and the op
erations of the lodges.
Brother J. Hilton Forbes, D.D.
G.M. of the Second District was
introduced by Brother B. P. Bur
roughs, Junior Warden of Una
nimity Lodge. Brother Forbes de
livered a highly interesting ad
dress: “Where Goeth Thou?”
The eight lodges constituting the
First Masonic district take turns
as hosts for these memorable fra
ternal gatherings, which afford ex
cellent inter-communication and a
nearness in fraternal fellowship.
So mote it ever me!
Thoughtfulness
The prime factor of good man
ners is thoughtfulness. Thought
fulness is the mark of a gentleman.
A gentleman is gentle with old
ladies, young ladies, with himself
and his companions. He ds gentle
in his thoughts, actions and prac
tices.
Thoughtfulness encompasses eti
quette, respect, dignity and is a
kind of aristocracy that shows
through wherever people gather.
It is the extra-something that
causes the worthwhile to seek you
out. —TRM
mation is that he became a mem
ber of Sudan Temple November
22, 1916, with Sudan’s charter be
ing issued on June 26, 1917. .
He is also a member of Holland
Chapter, Order of the Eastern
Star.
(Furthermore Brother “Toby”
spent a career as Supt. of build
ings and grounds at NCSU and is
widely known and loved by myri
ads of friends both within and
without Masonry.—Ed.)