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Page 2 THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON May/June, 1993 Nortli Carolina Mason The North Carolina Mason (DSPS 598-260) is published bimonthly by The Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of North Carolina, 2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27608. Third class postage paid at Oxford, N.C. 27565. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON, Oxford Orphanage Printing Department, Oxford, North Carolina 27565. BOARD OF PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON DALTON W. MAYO, Chairman REYNOLD S. DAVENPORT JAMES E. STRATTON J. CARROLL SIMMONS H. LLOYD WILKERSON Published bimonthly by The Grand Lodge ofA.F. & A.M. of North Carolina. Successor to The Orphans Friend and Masonic Journal Reynold S. Davenport, Editor Emeritus News items, pictures, inquiries, comments and other correspondence should be addressed to: Ric Carter, Editor 126 Arbor Drive Washington, N.C. 27889 There is no charge for printing pictures. Pictures should be made in black and white. Good quality pictures are essential for suitable reproduction. We reserve the right to reject any picture not suitable for use in The North Carolina Mason. Pictures accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope will be returned to the sender upon request. Address changes should be addressed to: THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON Oxford Orphanage Printing Department Oxford, North Carolina 27565 Each member of a North Carolina lodge is entitled to a free subscription to The North Carolina Mason. If you know a North Carolina Member who is not receiving the paper, please send his name, his complete address (with zip code), and the name of his lodge to the above address. OFFICERS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF A.F. & A.M. OF NORTH CAROLINA Richard G. Moore, Grand Master 7955 Lucky Creek Lane, Denver 28037 William B. Brunk, Deputy Grand Warden 8504 Bournemouth Dr., Raleigh 27609 Gifton W. Everett, Jr., Senior Grand Warden P.O. Box 1220, Greenville 27835 William H. Simpson, Junior Grand Warden 1231 Westridge Rd., Greensboro 27410 Jerry G. Tart, Grand Treasurer P.O. Box 366, Greensboro 27402 Robert P. Dudley, Grand Secretary P.O. Box 6506, Raleigh 27628 Gerry T. Smith, Senior Grand Deacon 203 Fairview Dr., Beaufort 28516 Thomas W. Gregory, Junior Grand Deacon 309 Gaymont Circle, Statesville 28677 Charles M. Ingram, Grand Marshal P.O. Box 278, Kenansville 28349 Charles E. Cathey, Grand Steward 49 Bethel Drive, Canton 28716 William L. Mills III, Grand Steward P.O. Box 528, Concord 28025 Everett P. Johnson, Grand Tyler 342 Scott Street, Mount Holly 28120 John R. Hamilton, Grand Chaplain 15 Vance Circle, Lexington 27292 Reynold S. Davenport, Grand Historian P.O. Box 578, Plymouth 27962 Robert K. Braswell, Grand Lecturer 5101 South Tryon Street, Charlotte 28217 Thomas A. Burleson, Grand Orator 6900 Boaz Court, Charlotte 28211 Ronnie Stewart, Judge Advocate 8300 Bell Lake Road, Apex 27502 From the Editor’s Desk Things Change, So Do We Masons don’t readily change the way the institution of Masonry operates. Our fraternity is founded on tradition, traditions so old, we don’t even know where we came from. Our rituals have been passed from mouth to ear for generations. They are passed on with strict admonishment to preserve them exactly. That protection is among our first lessons when entering Freemasonry. That care keeps us great. It safeguards Masonry from the whims of fashion and foibles of individuals. Like most lessons in life, that lesson needs tempering. At Grand Lodge Annual Communication this year we reconsidered a couple of measures rejected in 1992. Last year the majority was unmoved when asked to consider revising The Code and the hiring of a director for the Masonic Foundation. We balked in ’92 in the face of obvious need. When debating the need for Code revision, it took ten minutes to decide what majority was necessary to authorize the update. Despite several years of shortfall in funding the Home and Orphanage, we didn’t want to hire someone to help us be more effective. This year, after a several months of consideration, delegates from the lodges decided it was time for change. Thanks to bravery in the face of change, we’ll try to preserve and maybe even improve the Fraternity. As important as our resistance to change can be, it is important that we never let it stand in the way of vitality. Devotion to our traditions should never blind us to advancing our causes. The Mason Goes Online The North Carolina Mason is now available via computer to America OnLine subscribers. The electronicNCMason is a text-only version of the regular publication. This edition is condensed, dropping some of the content that is of less interest outside the state. Picture captions are, for the most part, dropped. “Travelers of the Tar Heel State,” our round-up on what’s happening in our blue lodges, is included. Most news and feature articles are kept. For you America OnLine users, it can be found at Lifestyles & Interests/Ethics & Religion/ The Religion Library Center/Other Religions & New Age Library. We’re not completely comfortable with the location, but there’s already a Freemasonry forum on that part of the network. We hope to get a better fit in the future. The eNCM is a self-extracting archive that takes under ten minutes to downlaod and may be opened with any text reading software. Computer owners with a modem may get more information about subscribing to America OnLine by calling 1-800-827-6364. It’s a Matter of Time And Desire Practicing With Asses The following is quoted from One Hundred Years of Freemasonry in California in the nar ration of Mariposa Lodge No. 24. One of their most devoted members was Past Master Frank H. B. Catherwood who served his lodge ten years as master and twelve as secretary, never missing a meeting while an officer in spite of the inconvenience. “In good weather or bad, he hiked eight miles across the mountain to the ranch of Thomas J. Ferguson. There Ferguson would hitch up a team of horses to a wagon or buckboard, and he and Catherwood would cover the remaining eighteen miles to Lodge together, returning home the next day.” “Catherwood’s memory and knowledge of the ritual amazed everybody who knew him. He never missed a word, and his delivery was spellbinding. When asked how he attained such proficiency, he smilingly replied that he acquired it with the help of a couple of jack- asses that he kept at his place back in the mountains. ‘You see,’ he said, ‘after I’d fin ish my supper dishes of an evening, I might feel that I needed a little practice with the ritual. So I’d go out in front of my cabin and call my jacks. I’d post one in the South and one in the West, and sit on a stump in the East myself. Then I’d begin at any place in the ritual where I thought I needed brushing up. You know, those jacks had heard that ritual so many times that they knew it backward and forward and straight up and down. They could pick up with me anywhere along the line. As long as I was all right, they’djust stand there, with their ears laid back, following every word. But if I made the slightest mistake, they’d flop their ears forward, and I knew I was wrong. Yessir, and I’d have to back up and get it right before they’d lay their ears down again.’” — from Southern California Research Lodge Fraternal Review, April, 1992. 1S»£»3 The District Meetin New Grand Master Rick Moore has set his schedule lor district meetings this year. A little more than half the meetings will include two or more districts. Host lodges arc to serve (he meal, open the lodge, receive district deputy grand master, and receive the grand master, Alltneetings begin with supper at 6:30.Lodge will! be opened at 7:30. Meetings will be tiled. The gatherings will feature reports from district officers,! grand secretary, and grand master. ! The schedule is subject to change. Remember the ferry shutdown last year 7 We ’ll! pass on anything we hear. These gatherings provide a great opportunity for fellowship, Come to talk with others! aromid y our area and hear abou tOat’ s going on stale- wide. All Masons are in vited and urged to atiend. Host di stricts are li sted in bold type, ! Date May 24 ! May Is .til (May® May 27 May 28 District(s) gig 12” & 15” 8”& 9 tk 6”&7« 1 10“* ffgg^^ Host Lodge Warsaw 677 Seaside 429 ! Vanceboro 433 ! Orient 395 (((llllllfl Location Warsaw Swansboro! Vanceboro Wilmington 319! Elizabethtown Iillslliiiiiiii tilling Mt. Holly June 4 56'“ Cleveland 202 Shelby! JuneS - 16“&27” Fellowship 84 Smithfield June9 17"> & 1 S'" Bailey 411 Bailey June 11 32" i &34” iiiiio Mebane June 21 22 ki &23“‘ Rolesville 683 Rolesville June 22 Roanoke 203 Weldon June23 31- & 37" 1 Asheboro 699 Asheboro June 24 28”&29* k Phoenix 8 Fayetteville! June 25 ! 21‘*&33' 4 Henderson 229 Henderson July8 38”&43'‘‘ Albemarle 703 Albemarle' July 9 39 1 b Beaver Dam 276 Marshville July 13 50” ’ > .- . i . - ; - 7 gf,ff Wilksboro! July 14 58” Vesper 554 Spruce Pine July 15 59"’ Cliffside 460 Cliffside August 2 ! ggggSggggggg Montgomery 426 Ranger s|jigui|||||i| Os Clyde 453 August 4 ! 64"’ East LaPorte 3.58 East LaPorte August 11 ! Elberta 654 West End August 12 ! 24”, 2 5”, & 26* Wiliiiun G. Hill 218 R. eigl August 13 Revolution 552 lit''' ■ GgilB August 16 44”& 45” Lexington 473 Lexington August 17 gggsSgggsggi GrassyKtK>b471 Union Grove August 18 40”,41“,&42“‘ Friendship 700 Charlotte August 23 ! 61“ JohnA,Nichois650 Asheville August 24 ! Bald Creek 397 Swiss August 25 60” Dunn’s Rock 267 Brevard August 26 49"’ $ now 363 itiits Boone August 27 ! IIIIIK it,:,/ gggggg g Mt. Airy SeptemberlS! 46»&48' 1 Clemmons 755 Clemmons September 16 sa^A 57” ! Riverside 606 Catawba September 27 5”& 11” ! William Pitt 734 Greenville September 28 3*" : Providence 678 Columbia September 29 1'' Gatesville 126 Galesville September 30 fffffffffg^itfiigf'Sfyf Ahoskie October 1 4th Atlantic 294 Swanquarter Washington — Henry Gray doesn’t give up easily. In 1982 Henry petitioned for the degrees at Washington 675. Before his investigation committee could finish its work, he suffered a severe heart attack. His candidacy was dropped for health reasons. In 1992, at age 67, Henry petitioned once again. Things went more smoothly this time. He was elected to the degrees. Henry’s hearing wasn’t the best in the world. His coach, John Riffert, got used to coaching a few decibels louder than usual. Henry took one question a day. He worked slowly through his degrees, was raised, and became the conscience of ACCORDING TO JIMROD We present below this month's poetical offering from that distinhuished Mason and philosopher. JIMROD Q. WAXPILLOW This conscientious old Mason named Brent Decided to give up something for Lent He thought it too risky to swear off whiskey And sex — all he had left there was intent. 675’s lawn, taking over the job of landscap ing. He was in lodge for every event and nearly every meeting. He continually denied thanks as he asked what more he could do. He didn’t want to leave his advancement incomplete. Henry worked hard to learn his Third Degree Catechism. He moved slowly but surely through the exchange of questions and answers. He was then hit by a minor stroke — one just serious enough to forget his catechism. He could remember how to get to his coach’s office but couldn’t recognize John’s face. He started relearning the catechism. Two similar strokes made him lose his speech for a short period and forget the memory work. He just kept coming back. Thurman Mayo, an old friend of Henry’s, hadn’t been seen in lodge very often in the past few years. As Henry took the degrees, Thurman became a familiar face again. Henry took it on himself to coach Thurman through his final catechism. As Henry reviewed his daily work, he shared it with Thurman. On March 1, one year after his initiation, Henry shared the spotlight with Thurman as they were examined on their memory work. Both passed in impressive fashion. In these times, when few of us have half the time we feel we need, Henry’s a real inspiration. Solace For a Brother Many lessons in Masonry and remind ers of the brotherhood it teaches us ap pear unexpectedly. Bob Kraus of Junaluskee 145 in Franklin can tell about it from first hand experience. Kraus and his wife, Eleanor, were attend ing a convention in Burlington, Vermont last summer. During some off-time, Bob dropped by the grand lodge offices there. He had some pleasant conversation with the Brothers there and enjoyed attending a local lodge. Back at the hotel that night he was awak ened by pains in his chest. After finally ad mitting something was wrong, they drove to the hospital. Bob suffered a full fledged heart attack while on the examining table. Bob was given an angioplasty (balloon treatment). They successfully cleared a blood vessel restriction and two clots at his heart. Although he was then out of the woods, Eleanor was left on her own in a strange town. She was given lodging in the convent across the street from the hospital. Bob had her go to the grand lodge to ask for assistance in cashing a check for some emergency money. Well, Vermont Masons didn’t stop there. There were numerous visits from several Masons. One Brother and his wife even came by to take Eleanor out to dinner, a break she most appreciated. They also got more than 30 calls from North Carolina Masons including offers to drive them home. Bob and Eleanor Kraus know that it some times takes a little bad luck to realize just how much good luck you’ve got. As Bob said in his open letter to The Green Mountain Mason, “The brotherly love demonstrated by the Vermont and Tar Heel Freemasons will forever fill a very special place in my heart and mind — a manifesta tion that has taken all of the mystery out of the term ‘Mystic Tie’!” Correction In the last issue of The Mason we carried an article on the dedication of the portrait of Senator Sam Ervin at the House of the Temple in Wash ington, D.C. We mistakenly listed the late senator’s lodge affiliation. He was a member of Catawba Valley 217 in Morganton. Senator Sam’s son Sam Ervin III and grandson Robert C. Ervin are members there also. We extend a special thanks to Bryan Grady, senior warden of 217, for letting us know about the mistake.
The North Carolina Mason (Oxford, N.C.)
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May 1, 1993, edition 1
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