The
NORTH
CAROLINA
MASON
Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons of North Carolina
VOL. XCV, NO. 11
Oxford, North Carolina 27565, November, 1970
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR
Maurice E. Walsh
From the
GRAND MASTER
THANKSGIVING DAY
LET US BE THANKFUL
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee
unto a good land, a land of brooks of
water, of fountains and depths that
spring out of the valleys and hills;
A land of wheat, and barley, and
vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates;
a land of olive
and honey;
A land wherein
thou s h a 11 eat
bread without
scarceness, thou
shalt not lack any
thing in it; a land
whose stones are
iron, and out of
whose hills you
can dig (copper)
brass.
When thou hast
eaten and art full,
then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God
for the good land which He hath given
thee. Deuteronomy 8:7-10
This “good land,” so long ago
glimpsed by the prophets, is indisput
ably the United States. Of a surety.
Providence has favored this country
above and beyond that of any nation in
the world. Does this not imply that
those who owe it (the United States)
allegiance have a torch to light and a
banner to bear aloft in proclaiming to
mankind that here is the “good land”
whose destiny comforts with the piety,
diligence and the sacrifices of God
fearing Founding Fathers?
Thanksgiving Day, indeed a Thanks
giving which spans all of the calendar,
is a time in which Americans should
pause to count their blessings and to
express thanks and gratitude to the
Triune God, even as did the Pilgrims of
an earlier day.
In 1970, we are not compelled, as
were the Pilgrim Fathers, to brave the
(Continued on Page Three)
RECEIVES 60-YEAR AWARD
Dr. William Albert Sams, of Marshall,
seated, is shown receiving a Diamond
Jubilee Certificate and diamond pin from
Brother Fuller H. Stines, of French Broad
Lodge No. 292, at Dr. Sams’ home Mon
day, November 9. The coveted honor goes
only to Masons in good standing for sixty
or more years. Dr. Sams, a Past Master
of French Broad Lodge 292, received the
Master Mason’s Degree on August 20, 1910
in the Flag Pond, Tennessee, Lodge No.
408. The 81-year-old Marshall physician
has received many honors in Masonry.
Dedication Held For
York Rite Temple
An Emergent Gommunication of the
Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and
Accepted Masons of North Carolina
was held in the new York Rite Temple
at 1201 Central Avenue in Charlotte,
North Carolina, on Thursday, Novem
ber 5, 1970, at 7:30 P. M. The purpose
of this meeting was to dedicate the new
Temple of the Charlotte York Rite
Bodies.
M.'.W.’.Maurice R. Walsh, Grand
Master of Masons in North Carolina,
presided over the Grand Lodge
assisted by the following brethren: R.'.
W.'.Robert L. Grubb, P.M. (726) as
Deputy Grand Master; R.’.W.'.Peter H.
Gems, P.M. (726) as Senior Grand
Warden; R.’.W.‘.Lester M. Hancock,
P.M. (31) as Junior Grand Warden;
R.’.W.’.Murray C. Alexander, P.M.
(530) as Grand Treasurer; R.’.W.’.
(Continued on Page Two)
John Temple Rice Dies
John Temple Rice, Most Eminent
Past Grand Master of the Grand En
campment of Knights Templar, U.S.A.,
passed away Nov. 5 at the Knights
Templar Home for the Aged Infirm,
Paxton, Illinois. He was 81.
Following his term as thirty-fifth
Grand Master of the national masonic
organization (1946-49), he became
Grand Recorder of the organization at
the Chicago office, a position he held
until illness forced his retirement Dec.
31, 1966.
Funeral arrangement for the Tem
plar leader were held in El Paso, Texas,
with burial in the Masonic cemetery.
Veteran Mason Honored
By Pendleton Lodge 524
On Tuesday night, October 13, 1970,
Pendleton Masonic Lodge No. 524 of
Pendleton, N. C., on behalf of the Grand
Lodge of N. C., presented Brother
George Deloatch his 50 year Veterans
Emblem and Certificate. 25 year Cer
tificates and Pins were presented to
Brothers J. C. Watson, and S. D. Heds-
peth, Jr.
A Diamond Jubilee Certificate and
Pin was presented to Brother Percy
Martin of Portsmouth, Va., but becau.se
of poor health, he was unable to attend.
This marks the first time in the history
of Pendleton Lodge and perhaps of all
lodges in N. C., where three brothers,
Percy Martin, J. F. Martin, and Paul
Martin, all members of Pendleton
Lodge, had lived to receive this honor
for being a Master Mason for 60 year.s
or more.