Oxford Orphanage
Masonic & Eastern Star Home
Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons of North Carolina
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VOL. CXIII — NO. 11
From The Grand Master
This is the month for the election and installation of officers in our lodges—a most
important time for our Craft as we are selecting those who will lead the fraternity during the
forthcoming year.
The installation of officers presents an excellent opportunity to put Masonry on view
before the public. Many lodges have adopted the practice of having open installations and
inviting the families and friends of the officers
to be installed to attend the ceremony. I
would encourage you to adopt this practice if
you are not doing so already. I believe you will
find a very favorable response from the
membership and the guests who attend.
Many non-members are interested in learning
more about out fraternity. What better time
could there be to accomplish this than at an
installation ceremony when the duties and
responsibilities of each officer is carefully
enumerated.
It is time for us as Masons to begin improv
ing the public image of this great fraternity.
More and more one becomes aware of the
fact that a large percentage of the general
public does not even know that Freemasonry
exists and is active. The family and friends
who attend Masonic functions that are open
to the public learn about our fraternity
and tell their friends and families about the Masonic ceremonies they attend and enjoy.
For one to become an officer of a Masonic lodge is an achievement of which any Mason
should be proud. To be installed as an officer is a special event in a Master Mason’s life and to
have his wife and children, as well as family and friends, attend his installation causes this event
to be even more meaningful to him. We should all strive to see that our lodge officers receive
the public recognition they so richly deserve.
This is also the season of the year when we will all observe the approaching religious
holidays according to our respective faiths. To all of you, my brethren, I wish for you a joyful
holiday season and may the New Year bring you much happiness and prosperity.
New Press At Work
Oxford Orphanage — Although the camera does a good job of stopping action, the
November issue of The North Carolina Mason was literally flying off the press when the two
pictures above were made.
In the top picture, Joseph Colenda, manager of the Orphanage Printing Department
(center), explains the operation to Board of Publication members Walter J. Klein (left) and
Chairman William E. Fulmer (right). In the bottom photo pressmen Mike Hobgood (left) and
Wayne Robertson must stay in perpetual motion just to keep up. As fast as the papers were
coming off — they would stack up to three or four feet before you could turn around — the
press was merely loafing along at little more than half-speed.
Readers are now enjoying a paper that is free of the ink smudges so common in the past, that
is free of the alternating very dark and very dim lines of print, and that has improved picture
clarity with each issue. These improvements, coupled with the larger type size introduced
some months ago, are providing a paper that is much easier for everyone to read. The
improvements are particularly helpful to our many members whose eyesight has dimmed as
the years have advanced.
Board of Publication members vow to continue working to provide a paper that
constantly improves.
Appeal for Puerto Rico
Hurricane Hugo caused tremendous
damage in Puerto Rico and most particularly
on the Island of Saint Croix. Puerto Rico does
have a chartered lodge on that Island. In fact,
some of the Brothers and their families had to
actually sleep in the lodge room because they
lost everything during the storm.
On behalf of the Grand Lodge of Puerto
Rico, the Masonic Service Association is
broadcasting an urgent appeal for assistance.
The damage was so well documented by
the media that the urgency of this appeal is
certainly well-known. All contributions in
Oxford, North Carolina
whatever amount from Grand Lodges,
Lodges, individuals or appendant Masonic
bodies will be acknowledged by M.S.A. with
most grateful thanks.
When making contributions, checks
should be made payable to the: M.S.A.
Disaster Relief Fund, 8120 Fenton Street,
Silver Spring, MD 20910-4785.
All funds contributed will be sent in their
entirety to the Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico.
We urge you to respond as generously as you
can. — Masonic Service Association
December, 1989
Freemasonry and Religion
Statement of the Board of General Purposes
United Grand Lodge of England
June 12,1985
In the light of recent comments on
Freemasonry and religion and inquiries to be
held by various churches into the
compatibility of Freemasonry and
Christianity, the Board has decided to issue
the following statement in amplification of
that originally approved by Grand Lodge in
September 1962 and confirmed by Grand
Lodge in December 1981.
BASIC STATEMENT—Freemasonry is
not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion.
It demands of its members belief in a Supreme
Being, but provides no system of faith of its
own. Its rituals include prayers, but these
relate only to the matter instantly in hand and
do not amount to the practice of religion.
Freemasonry is open to men of any faith,
but religion may not be discussed at its
meetings.
THE SUPREME BEING—The names used
for the Supreme Being enable men of different
faiths to join in prayer (to God as they see
Him) without the terms of the prayer causing
dissension among them.
There is no Masonic God: a Freemason
remains committed to the God of the religion
he professes.
Freemasons meet in common respect for
the Supreme Being, but He remains Supreme
in their individual religions, and it is no part of
Freemasonry to attempt to join religions
together. There is therefore no composite
Masonic God.
VOLUME OF THE SACRED LAW-An
open Volume of the Sacred Law is an
essential part of every Masonic meeting. The
Volume of the Sacred Law to a Christian is
the Bible; to Freemasons of other faiths it is
the book held holy by them.
THE OATHS OF FREEMASONRY-The
obligations taken by Freemasons are sworn
on or involve the Volume of the Sacred Law.
They are undertakings to keep secret a
Freemason’s means of recognition and to
follow the principles of Freemasonry. The
physical penalties are simply symbolic. The
commitment to follow the principles of
Freemasonry is deep, and entirely
appropriate to this form of obligation.
FREEMASONRY COMPARED WITH
RELIGION—Freemasonry lacks the basic
elements of religion:
(a) It has no dogma or theology (and by
forbidding religious discussion at its meetings
will not allow a Masonic dogma to develop).
(b) It offers no sacraments.
(c) It does not claim to lead to salvation, by
works, secret knowledge or any other means
(the secrets of Freemasonry are concerned
with modes of recognition, not with
salvation).
FREEMASONRY SUPPORTS RELIGION—
Freemasonry is far from indifferent to
religion. Without interfering in religious
practice, it expects each member to follow his
own faith, and to place his duty to God (by
whatever name He is known) above all other
duties. Its moral teachings are acceptable to
all religions.
The Short Talk Bulletin of
The Masonic Service Association
Word From Hibriten
Lenoir — A letter from Secretary J. Allan
Suther brings us up to date on doings in
Hibriten Lodge No. 262.
Two Past Masters of the lodge, Norman W.
Sherwood, Sr. and John T. Parlier, Sr.
became Certified Lecturers during the
September exams. The lodge now has four
certified members, the older two each having
served as D.D.G.L. An interesting sidelight to
this is that Norman Sherwood’s son, Gary
Sherwood, is now completing his term as
Master of Perseverance Lodge No. 59, at
Plymouth, and Gary also became a Certified
Lecturer in September, raising his certificate
from “B" to “A”. It isn’t often that a father and
son become certified in the same year.
The Masons and Eastern Stars here
attended church together and with their
families in October.
Hibriten had Past Masters and Awards
Night in October with about twenty Past
Masters in attendance. Thirteen 25-year
awards and one 50-year award were
presented. Eastern Stars served the meal.
What Others Are Doing
Oklahoma — In October, a prominent
business executive was made a “Mason at
Sight” by the Grand Master. He received all
three degrees over a period of seven hours, all
on the same day. — The Oklahoma Mason.
(None of this could have happened in North
Carolina. Our Grand Masters do not make
Masons at Sight, nor can a candidate advance
without proving proficiency in the preceeding
degree, nor may a candidate receive more
than one degree in the same day. The Grand
Lodges that authorize the making of Masons
at Sight have varying regulations and
methods of accomplishing this. Ed.)
THE TOP SPOT
At This Time Of Year
We wish for all our members and
their families every joy and every gift
of health and happiness possible.
Each Mason, whatever his faith, can
rejoice in the peace now prevailing
over almost all the world, and can
pray that peace will yet come to those
small corners now torn with strife.
We wish for each of our lodges a
busy and fruitful year in 1990. All
Masonry, including Grand Lodges
and appendant bodies, relies upon
the individual lodge for the success
of all. The symbolic lodge is the root
and parent of EVERYTHING
Masonic. Long may it flourish.
A Run For The Money
Hal Swindell pounds the pavement for a
good cause. See story below. (Photo by Ric
Carter. SD-6751
Greenville — Hal G. Swindell, Jr. recently
ran the twenty-six miles from Washington to
Greenville to raise money for The Children’s
Hospital of Eastern North Carolina at Pitt
County Memorial Hospital. He did all right,
too. Various sponsors kicked in with a total of
more than $5,500.00 for an average of more
than $211.00 per mile, according to our
figuring. Hal is a lieutenant on the East
Carolina University police department, but
4th District Masons know him better as
Master of Atlantic Lodge No. 294, at
Swanquarter. His father, Hal, Sr., is the long-
time Secretary of that lodge.
Eagle Scout Masons
We appear to be nearing the end of North
Carolina’s Eagle Scout Masons, but we did
hear from the following during the past
month:
Robert N. Vance, member of Semper
Fidelis 680, has been an Eagle since 1940, was
awarded Bronze and Silver Palms, served as
Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Junior
Assistant Scoutmaster, Cubmaster,
Scoutmaster and Eagle Scout Advisor,
organized and led two Explorer units.
The Reverend Thomas A. Summey, Jr.,
Life Member of Excelsior 261 (Had
progressed through the line to Senior
Warden when moved to a new church), Past
Grand Chaplain, became an Eagle in 1952,
became member of the Order of the Arrow,
awarded Scoutmaster’s Key.
Alton C. Pledger, who has served as
Chaplain and as Junior Deacon in Durham
352, is an Eagle with fifty-two merit badges.
Received Gold and Silver Palms, was
Scoutmaster, received Scoutmaster’s Key,
was Neighborhood and later District
Commissioner, earned Scouter’s Key,
received Silver Beaver Award and holds Vigil
Honor. Many other scouting activities.
If there are any more North Carolina
Masons out there who are also Eagle Scouts,
please send your Scouting and Masonic
backgrounds (brief) to Kenneth H. Grace,
5434 West 134th Street, Hawthorne, CA
90250-4912. He is compiling a national listing
of Eagle Scout Masons. Please send a copy of
the backgrounds to this paper.
Masons Good Neighbors
Charlotte — Hurricane Hugo did almost no
damage to the building of Excelsior Lodge'
No. 261, but it did blow down a number of.
large trees on the lodge property. Three of the
large oaks fell across the backyard of a
neighbor, a widow, destroying a fence and a
utility building and blocking her backyard.
The building and grounds committee,
consisting of Chairman Carl Short, Ralph
Cogdell, A. J. Johnson, Dave Moser, Jerry
Gullege, Jerry’s son and nephew Bob Eifird
and A. J. Skidmore, worked an entire day
cleaning the lodge trees from the widow’s
yard. — Robert H. Efird, Master-261
Fourteenth Makes
Grand Gift
Lumberton — The lodges of the 14th
Masonic District recently gave one thousand
dollars to the Hurricane Hugo relief effort.
These lodges are: St. Alban’s 114, Maxton
417, St. Pauls 474, Red Springs 501, Fairmont
528 and Proctorville 643. Mack A. Lovin,
D.D.G.M.-14, stated it “was a pleasure to
behold the genuine concern and desire to be
helpful on the part of these brethren — it was
Masonry in action.”