Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons of North Carolina
VOL. CXII - NO. 9
Oxford, North Carolina
September, 1988
The Grand Master’s Message
The District Meetings began on May 16,1988 with the first in Wallace Lodge No. 595 at Wallace, North Carolina
for the 10th and 12th Masonic Districts. The final District Meeting was held on August 25,1988 in Mount Vernon Lodge
No. 143 in Bonlee, North Carolina for the 31st and 37th Masonic Districts. A total of thirty-one District Meetings were
held and I am pleased to report that overall the attendance was very good. A total of 2,921 Master Masons, the vast
marjority of whom were lodge officers, attended the meetings. This afforded me the unique opportunity to meet with
and present this year’s program “The Positive Image of Freemasonry” to almost 3,000 Masons in positions of
leadership across the state. The program presented was received with interest and enthusiam and I received many
request for copies of the remarks I made at the meetings. In response to this request, I am including in this issue of the
North Carolina Mason a condensed version of the presentation made at the meetings which follows:
The program we are presenting this year is entitled,
“The Positive Image of Freemasonry.” It can be divided
into three principle parts: 1. Leadership Development for
Lodge Officers. 2. Candidate Motivation. 3. Masonic
Visibility and Public Awareness.
Practically every major corporation has a training
program for its key people. The Masonic Fraternity is not
a commercial enterprise, but we do have 70,000
members in North Carolina and the 394 subordinate
lodges conduct business and deal with finances. We own
and operate two of the finest institutions for child care
and care for the elderly in the nation, each with multi
million dollar annual budgets. Yet, we leave our leaders to
train themselves. I believe that there is a need and that we
have the reponsibility to offer a basic training program for
subordinate lodge officers.
At the present time a program for leadership
development is being prepared by the Grand Master’s
Committee on Masonic Research and Development. It is
anticipated that a workshop or seminar on leadership will
be held at perhaps nine locations across the state,
perhaps in November of this year. The lodges will be
notified of the time and places of these meetings and we
expect that they will consist of good practical
presentations on Masonic leadership skills presented by well qualified individuals. The workshops are being designed
for the lodge officers beginning with Stewards through the Wardens and any Brother will be welcome to attend.
The second principal part of the program we are presenting is Candidate Motivation. Candidate motivation must
first of all insure that candidates for the degrees of Masonry are favorably impressed by those degrees. It includes
thorough instructions in the ethics and protocol of Masonic Lodges. All of us would agree that there is nothing more
important in Masonry than excellence in the conferral of the degrees.
The Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason degrees should always be conferred in an expressive,
meaningful and proficient manner, in an atmosphere of solemnity, void of laughter and frivolity. It is the responsibility
of the Worshipful Master to make certain that this most important practice is observed in his lodge.
We should never assume that when the candidate is raised that he will automatically begin to attend and take his
rightful place in the lodge. Candidate motivation involves the proper and effective presentation of the lodge system of
Masonic education. In addition, I strongly recommend that a special program be presented at the first stated
communication after the candidate is raised. On that occasion the candidate should be recognized as the newest
member of the lodge, extended a cordial welcome and the program presented should be designed to instruct the
candidate on a variety of subjects including Masonic protocol, Masonic charities and especially on the subject “What
can I tell a non-Mason about Masonry.”
The mentor program is highly recommended where the Worshipful Master assigns a veteran Mason to serve as
mentor or advisor companion to each newly raised Master Mason for perhaps a twelve-month period. The mentor
should be carefully selected and should be an individual the new Mason will respect and look up to and should attend
lodge with the new brother and be available to answer questions and instruct him.
The third part of the program is Masonic Visibility and Public Awareness. We hold membership in the oldest and
largest fraternity in the world. Masonry is an organization with a few secrets, and yet all too often we are perceived in
the public eye as a secret order or a mysterious society of men meeting in secret. In fact, the average non-Mason
knows very little about us. I think this is unfortunate because it simply is not true that we are a secret society. Our lodge
buildings are prominently located and are usually identified by the square and compasses and the lodge name on the
front of the building. Frequently, notices of our meetings are published in the local paper.
There are a number of reasons why the public does not know who we are and what we stand for. Our members
generally do not discuss Masonry with their non-Mason friends. Lodges seldom sponsor programs that gain public
attention, and we do not utilize modern methods of communications to tell the Masonic story.
(Continued on Page Two)
Grand Master Visits With Ailing Masonic Veterans
Area Masons Provide Services on Daily Basis
Asheville — On July 13, Grand Master L. R. Thomas, Jr. visited Masonic veterans of the armed forces now
hospitalized at the Veterans Administration Medical Center here. During his visit with Raymond Wheeler, a member
of Swannanoa Lodge No. 561, he was accompanied by those pictured above, from left: Ralph Copeland, Black
Mountain Lodge No. 663; Past Master Ernest Reed, Black Mountain Lodge No. 663; John Lance, Hospital
Representative in Asheville for the Masonic Services Association; the Grand Master; Judge David Sentelle of the
Circuit Court of Appeals; and Junior Grand Deacon Ray Norris, all standing behind Wheeler.
Describing the visit as a memorable and rewarding experience, the Grand Master said, “It was a humbling
experience for me as Grand Master to visit and greet the hospitalized veterans. While the brethren that we visited
seemed appreciative of our visit, it was I who was blessed and enriched by meeting and talking with these courageous
and gallant men who have served their nation with valor.”
The Grand Master also commended Lance and his assistants “for their devoted service in regularly visiting and
helping to care for our Masonic veterans who are confined to the hospital.”
Lance, Senior Warden of Blackmer Lodge No. 170, also Past Master, Past Secretary, P.D.D.G.M., P.D.E.C., and
Life Member, told us that approximately fifty volunteer Masons work about 500 hours monthly in the hospital.
Masonry and Scouting
Brother Kenneth H. Grace, Marshal of the Southern
California Research Lodge, is attempting to compile data
on how many members of the Craft attained the coveted
rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scout movement. If you
did, or if you know a Mason who did, please forward
appropriate information to: Kenneth H. Grace, 5424
West 134th Place, Hawthorne, CA 90250-4912. Please
also furnish the same information to this paper at Oxford
Orphanage Printing Department, Oxford, NC 27565, in
order that other Masons in North Carolina may be
informed of your fine achievement.
We know that Grand Master L. R. Thomas, Jr. was an
Eagle Scout, we are sure there are others, so please let us
know.
For over three-quarters of a century, the Boy Scouts
have practiced the great values that parallel those tenets
embodied in our Masonic ideals. Many members of our
Fraternity still serve both organizations, even though
their “out-of-door” scouting days are over and they now
serve on committees, as merit badge counselors, and in
similar capacities.
Brother Jack Levitt, Past Grand Master of California
and Hawaii, is a strong supporter of Scouting along with
entertainers Danny Thomas and Burl Ives. Brother and
former President Gerald Ford is.an Eagle Scout and a
Mason.
Each year in the month of Febuary is designated Boy
Scout Month in America to concide with the birthday on
Febuary 22 of Boy Scout founder Lord Baden—Powell.
In some parts of the world Masonic Lodges are named for
Baden—Powell (Australia has three so named), and the
brethren gather in scout uniform and Masonic aprons.
(To do that in this Grand Jurisdiciton would probably
require an opinion of the Grand Master as to the intent of
REG. 51-23.)
Take Care !
Raleigh — It is a sad thing even to think of, but it is a fact
that there are Masons, or former Masons, or well
informed non-Masons, that are aware of Masonry’s
generosity to the destitute and the unfortunate, and who
seek to take advantage of the open-heartedness of
Masons.
With varying degrees of frequency, reports come to
the Grand Secretary of individual Masons and/or lodges
that have given financial aid to someone who appeared to
be worthy and in need of that aid, later to learn they had
been swindled by some unprincipled scoundrel.
The methods employed by these rascals are as varied
as they are many, so lodges and Masons, unfortunately,
should treat each request for financial aid with suspicion.
If those seeking aid are genuinely worthy, a brief
investigation will prove that; if they are not worthy, they
will promptly disappear upon learning an investigation is
in progress.
One example of methods used to obtain money has
fleeced one of our lodges and a Kentucky Mason of
$60.00 each during the past summer: A voice on the
phone claimed to be George Ruid, Secretary of a Scottish
Rite Valley, and requested $60.00 be given a Mr.
Wilkerson at a specified location to enable the Mr.
Wilkerson to visit his desperately ill father. Ruid said his
office would repay the $60.00 and provided a telephone
number for use in obtaining repayment. The phone
number in one such instance turned out to be that of the
Knights of Columbus, who, of course, knew nothing of
Ruid or Wilkerson.
This is only one example. Methods and names will
vary, but each request should be investigated.
TAKE CARE!
Dedication at
West Gate No. 738
Charlotte — Grand Master L. R. Thomas, Jr. presided
at the dedication of West Gate Lodge No. 738 on July 25.
Assisting in the ceremony were the following officers of
the lodge: Master Roland M. Smith, Senior Warden
Oscar Bass, Jr., Junior Warden Joseph M. Brackett,
Treasurer Wade L. Kirby, Secretary John R. Litaker,
P.M., Junior Deacon William D. Burries, Steward Barry
L. Cantrell, Steward Bennett H. Achord, Jr., Tyler Larry
W. Quick, Chaplain William F. Navy; also Past Masters
Roger W. Walters, Charles E. Sherer, Gerald O. Barnes,
Bruce Bass, Troy R. Price and Robert J. Sizemore.
Member Perry M. Blake filled a Steward’s chair.
Other Grand Lodge officials attending were Deputy
Grand Master Jerry G. Tart, Grand Secretary Robert P.
Dudley, Grand Marshal Richard G. Moore, Grand Tyler
Johnny R. West and Past Grand Master Robert N. Bass,
Jr.
After the Grand Lodge had been opened in AMPLE
FORM by the Grand Master, the public was invited in to
(Continued on Page Two)
Raleigh DeMolay Honored
Raleigh — Charles Silber, Master Councilor of the
local DeMolay chapter, has been named “DeMolay of the
Year” for all of North
Carolina. Charles also
received the Chevalier
Degree during the Annual
State Conclave in Charlotte
last July.
Other local DeMolay.
news of note: The chapter
was host to twenty-four
Oxford Orphanage boys and
counselors at a baseball
double-header in the Bulls
Stadium at Durham on July
27. The DeMolays and Job’s
Daughters had earlier staged
a spaghetti dinner to provide
spending money for the Orphanage lads.
Up Top
Look at the top panel on this page. With this issue we
have given the paper a new look which we hope you will
like.
What we have tried to portray up there is what North
Carolina Masonry does so well, that of which we can all
be extremely proud, always remembering “. . . of these
the greatest is Charity...”
We owe thanks to a number of Masons and others that
assisted in getting all this together.
Wiley K. Hill is the Mason shown pointing to his left.
Wiley is District Deputy Grand Master in the 4th District,
and is also a Past Master and present Secretary of
Washington Lodge No. 675, at Washington. It is fitting
that a Mason of Wiley’s caliber should be the
representative “North Carolina Mason” pointing to and
supporting the Orphanage and the Home, and we thank
him for doing this for us. It is just a shame there is not
room up there for pictures of all other North Carolina
Masons of equal caliber, for we do indeed have an
abundance of Masons in this great Grand Lodge that
would have been just as representative as Wiley.
The picture of Wiley was made by Rick Carter, Junior
Deacon of Washington Lodge No. 675, an excellent
photographer and a splendid young Mason. Rick
donated his time, his expense and his talent to do this for
us, and we are indeed grateful to him.
Brother Joe Colenda, manager of the Orphange
Printing Department, dug out the picture of the
Orphanage children from among his vast store of such
pictures. He may later change it for one he likes better,
for it is Joe’s nature to seek improvement. We thank him
for this and for all else he does for us all the time.
Superintendent Tommy Jones arranged for several
pictures of Home residents in order to give us a choice. If
this one doesn’t work out, you can bet he’ll keep at it until
one is produced that does. Tommy manages to attend to
a lot of things, and we thank him for attending to this.
This, of course, was written before the paper was
printed, so we had no idea when writing this how well or
how poorly these pictures would reproduce. If necessary,
we will replace one or more of the pictures in the next
issue, or we may decide it will be best to convert all of
them to line drawings. Give us a couple of months or so
and we will get it right.