Newspapers / The North Carolina Mason … / June 1, 1983, edition 1 / Page 1
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Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons of North Carolina VOL CVIII—NO. 2 Oxford, North Carolina 27565, June, 1983 ONE DOLLAR A YEAR Grand Lodge '83 Raleigh—Masons from all over North Carolina, probably 1400 to 1500 strong, were already gathered here when the first gavel fell to open the 1983 Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina on April 19. Before the final gavel fell the following day, another 400 to 500 Masons had arrived to attend all or part of the , sessions. Over 1200 of the Masons on hand were voting members of the Grand Lodge, some 80% of these being delegates from the lodges and the remainder being Grand Lodge officers, committee members, district officers and Past Grand Masters. All Grand Lodge officers were present, and fourteen Past Grand Masters attended. Grand Master A. C. Honeycutt presided over all sessions of the annual communication, his report to the Craft being one of the items of business in the afternoon session. Taking place during the initial session was the address by Grand Orator Rufus L. Edmisten, Attorney General of North Carolina. The Grand Treasurer and the Grand Secretary gave their reports, and there followed various reports of other officers and those of the several Grand Lodge boards, commissions and committees. Likewise, there were reports from the Orphanage, the Home and the North Carolina Masonic Foundation. (Those portions of reports requiring action by the Grand Lodge were referred to appropriate committees and boards, to be brought back to the floor during the final session.) Before purging the Grand Lodge to open the afternoon session, Grand Master Honeycutt recognized Paul Etheridge, Jr., P.M., who intro duced Jeff McEwen, State Master Councilor of DeMolay, who delivered a brief and interesting address. Dr. William E. Fulmer, Chairman of the Necrology Committee, conducted a memorial service for the brethren that passed away during 1 982. Part of this service was a tribute to our late Past Grand Master Maxwell Hoffman, delivered by Junior Grand Warden Norburn C. Hyatt. The Grand Master recognized various lodge officers who presented contributions to the Foundation on behalf of their respective lodges, a total of some $30,000.00 being donated in this manner. The Grand Lodge dinner which has for years been a fixture during Tuesday night at each annual communication was not held this year, because attendance had gradually fallen below the number judged necessary for its continuance. The final session on Wednesday morning was, as always, most active. It is during the Wednesday sessions that members vote to approve or reject the proposed budget, vote to adopt or disapprove proposed changes in the law, vote their will on various other matters coming before them, and elect Grand Lodge officers. (The proposed budget and the proposed changes in the law had been submitted to the lodges some time prior to the annual communication, in order that all members of the lodges might study and discuss them, and in order that delegates might come to Grand Lodge well versed in the matters to be submitted to them.) The budget was adopted as proposed, but all of the proposed changes in Masonic law were rejected. It had been proposed that Masons be allowed to wear aprons of various Masonic offices when attending Masonic Burials, but the delegates overwhelmingly rejected that proposal, leaving the present law requiring plain white aprons in place. The delegates also voted in large numbers to reject a proposal that would have radically changed the present organization and operation of the North Carolina Masonic Foundation. Thus, no Masonic law was changed during this annual communication. The delegates voted to approve the recommendation of the Appeals Committee that the 1982 actions and decisions of the Judge Advocate and the several Trial Commissions be affirmed. The Committee on Charters and Dispensations recommended that a charter be granted to James K. Polk Lodge No. 759, at Pineville. The delegates approved the recommendation, and this new lodge was constituted by the Grand Master on April 30. Grand Master Honeycutt presented the Joseph Montfort Medal, the highest award given by our Grand Lodge, to the following three Masons: Deputy Grand Master Cecil J. Liverman, Past Master Charles E. Scott, Jr., and Judge Advocate Otto Neustadt (PM). Election of Grand Lodge officers commenced at 11 a.m., as provided by law. Cecil J. Liverman was elected Grand Master, and his picture and biography appear on the front page of this paper. A complete roster of Grand Lodge officers appears on page 3. The Grand Lodge officers were installed following the close of the final business session. (Later this year the Grand Lodge will publish the 1983 Proceedings, and this will contain detailed accounts of the matters transacted at the annual communication, and of the emergent communications held by the Grand Lodge during the past Grand Lodge year. Also appearing the the Proceedings will be rosters, tables, reports, and much other information obtainable no where else. Copies of the Proceedings will be furnished to the lodges, but Masons wishing to acquire personal copies may puchase them from the Grand Secretary after they become available.) Masonic Foundation— "This Too, Shall Come To Pass" Within these words I ives a great philosophy that can be likened to many conditions we face in our world today. Freemasonry, not withstanding, has withstood the changes and ravages of time, because its philosophy has adhered to this great truth and stood as a great pillar upon its solid foundation. Viewing the society in which we live, we have continually met the challenge of the times as they pass, and this age shall be no different than those that are now history. During the most recent years, we have seen and heard reports that Freemasonry has declined in our country and other parts of the world. Masonry is a living philosophy and it would suggest that we have not put that philosophy to work within our great fraternity or in our personal lives. Within the hearts and minds of those who are truly Masons there is a burning desire to live our philosophy, in being of service to all mankind and making this a better world in which to live. It has been, is now and certainly in the future, our course must be one that is indeed directed in such manner that our service of higher calling and commitment to our great fraternity shall supplement and fulfill those needs within our society, of which we are the guardians and responsible caretakers. We now have an opportunity and challenge that has been given to the Masons of North Carolina to fulfill our Masonic commitment of caring for those so desperately in need of our care. We have two great institutions, dedicatedtothe care of the aged and the orphaned, with needs that are ever pressing due to today's economic pressures. We need not only to meet the present needs of today, but to enlarge the role of Masons in helping children and providing a secure future for the aged. Growth in enrollment for both institutions is needed if indeed we are to fulfill the needs of those which we are dedicated to care for. So that these things may be accomplished, the Grand Lodge has initiated a ten-year program wherein we seek the help of all Masons to raise ten million dollars for the North Carolina Masonic Foundation. The North Carolina Masonic Foundation, Inc., was established in 1929 to promote the making of gifts, to provide a way of securing uniformity of purposes in our support and promotion of Oxford Orphanage, the Masonic and Eastern Star Home, and other worthy charitable causes adopted by the (Continued on Page Two) CECIL JOHNSON LIVERMAN This Is Our New Grand Master Cecil Johnson Liverman was born on May 25, 1915 in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. He was one of four children, two boys and two girls, born to the late Tallie J. and Julian G. Liverman. Cecil was educated in the Hertford County public school system. In April of 1934, Cecil began a career with Northeastern Oil Company which ended with his retirement as Operations Manager in December of 1982. On September 9, 1938, Cecil married Hazel Ellen Fisher. Following three years of service in the U. S. Army (two and a half years overseas), Cecil and Hazel had two daughters. Their daughter Laura is married to Philip J. Olmstead, who is a Past Master of William G. Hill Lodge No. 218 in Raleigh. They have two children, Karen and Kevin. Another daughter, Cecille is married to E. Merrill Waters of Powellsville. They have two daughters, Wendie and Sara. The Livermans are active members of Meherrin Baptist Church in Murfreesboro where Cecil has served as a Deacon, Chairman of the Board of Deacons and for many years was Church Treasurer. He presently serves as President of his Sunday School class. Cecil was a Charter Member and Past President of the Murfreesboro Lions Club. He is also a member of the Red Cross Blood Donor Procurement Committee and has donated five gallons of blood over the years. On June 10, 1946, Cecil became a Master Mason in American George Lodge No. 17 in Murfreesboro and has served as Master in 1952, 1962 and 1973. For his many years of dedicated and devoted service to his lodge and Masonry in general, Cecil was awarded Life Membership in American George Lodge No. 17 in 1982. This is the only Life Membership ever given by this lodge. He has also served as District Deputy Grand Master of the Nineteenth Masonic District from 1966-68. His fellow District Deputies elected him President in 1967. Cecil served on the Masonic and Eastern Star Home Board of Directors from 1974 until his appointment as a Grand Steward in 1 976 by Most Worshipful Brother Leslie H. Garner since which time he has progressed steadily through the Grand Lodge line in preparation for the office of Grand Master. Cecil is also active in several additional Masonic fields. He is a member of the Elizabeth City York Rite Bodies. The Enfield and New Bern Scottish Rite Bodies elected him to be invested Knight Commander of the Court of Honour in 1 981. He is also a member and Past President of the Roanoke- Chowan Scottish Rite Club. Cecil is also a member of Sudan Shrine Temple and the Hertford County Shrine Club where he has been a Greeter and Co- Chairman of the Fish Fry committee. With all these activities, Cecil still finds time to keep his lawn perfectly landscaped and to occasionally go deer hunting.
The North Carolina Mason (Oxford, N.C.)
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June 1, 1983, edition 1
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