Post Office Box 821413, Fort Worth, Texas 76182 USA
April, 1998
Dear Brethren,
Our ship that we boarded last June is now in sight of landfall. The crew is awaiting new orders and new leadership. We have visited many ports in our journey and have seen many new people and made a lot of new friends. We'll have more adventures in the months ahead.
Our Fish Fry was a success! We had a very good turn out. Thanks to the Brothers who worked so hard in the Kitchen, and in the Garage cooking Fish and French Fries and to everyone who helped serve. This event only cost the Lodge about Seventy Dollars, thanks to the many donations from our guests. Thanks to Brother Burnett for manning the door and Guest book. Also, I would like to thank Brother Townsend for presenting the Walking pins to our Senior and Junior Wardens as a gift to be handed down from Officer to Officer from now on. Thanks again John!
Thanks to Brother Billy Campbell, who presented his Minister, Dr. Burnett, as speaker for Public Schools Week. Dr. Burnett gave a very interesting talk about our involvement in the community and, as Men, reaching out to our young people and being Mentors. Also to Brother Terrell for reading his newest poem "Charlie is My Brother" which is dedicated to Brother Groves.
Roanoak Lodge's Officers were also in attendance and asked Brother Mike Haygood to speak at their next Stated Meeting. If you have not heard Brother Haygood give his reflections on Masonry, you need to do so! You can during the next Stated Meeting, in April. As we always seem to put Him on the spot, but I really don't think he minds.
We received a petition of Reinstatement on Donald E Russell and I've appointed an investigation committee. We will have their report by April Stated Meeting. His son was recently initiated and he doesn't intend to miss his Passing and Raising. Brother George Hall and myself attended Lake Worth Lodge for a E.A. Degree on March 10. We counted 37 Brethren present, thanks to Brother Ernie Parish. It's always a pleasure to watch Brother Billy Ray Fisher confer the E.A. Degree.
Remember Brethren, we are going to present the Golden Trowel Award to Brother David Myers, Treasurer and Past Master on April 11 at 6:30 P.M. at the Lodge. It will also be a "Past Masters Night." Dress will be casual .
See you there!
STEVE BACHMAN.............W.M.
Brethren,
I hope all is well!! I was so glad to see everyone at the fish fry. The annual fellowship is always great, especially considering it is difficult to find time for everyone to meet on one particular night.
Everyone has such busy schedules these days ranging from boy scouts, church, night school to overtime at work! It's nice to know that Masonry and the brothers in it are generous enough to understand without regard these types of schedules and regular everyday life. My main focus in this letter is to try and help spread the light; I want everyone to know that reasons for not being at lodge are more than just sitting at home watching TV!! I would like to think that we belong to a fraternity that understands individual situations for each brother.
Brethren, this fraternity has been built on charity, and I hope to continue the benevolence by building upon this most important value for which our organization is known all over the world!
Daryle Hester
Dear Brethren,
The fish fry was a wonderful experience! Pastor Jeff Burnett of the 1st Baptist Church, who is also a HEB School District Board Trustee, was our featured speaker. He reminded us of our fraternity's long-standing commitment to children. He encouraged us to continue our actions in behalf of the public schools. Oh, and the food was great! The brotherly love was evident everywhere you looked. Plain and simple, it was a heavenly reflection of the Celestial Lodge above! Brother Richard Franklin was attending his first stated meeting as a Master Mason! Hoo-ah! Brother Franklin! Brother Dick Coates was back from surgery and looking well but, we missed Brother Charlie Groves. Charley is very ill. Please keep him in your prayers.
A special "Thank You!" to Brothers John Townsend, APM and 50 year Mason, Mike Haygood, our "Bringer of Masonic Light" and David Myers, our Treasurer. First, Brother John presented Brother Hester and myself with lapel pins representing the jewels of our respective offices with his request that they be passed to the Brethren who succeed us. Secondly, Brother Haygood gave a fascinating talk about the "Golden Mean," a measure of proportion widely found in nature and used in classic architecture. Finally, though he was absent attending Scouting Wood Badge Training, it was reported that Brother Myers had chased down the information and filed the papers that enable the Lodge to obtain a refund of sales taxes paid to the Gas and Electric companies over the last four years. His work also ensures that the Lodge is exempt from future sales taxes. Forms for exempting the Lodge from these taxes when purchasing other items are in the Secretary's "Forms Drawer." Please try to use them when you buy something on behalf of the Lodge.
Be watching the TV and listening to major radio stations for an upcoming "Public Awareness" campaign sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Texas. Folks wanting information about Masonry will be given a toll-free telephone number to call. Also, don't forget the Golden Trowel/Easter Program on the 11th, the Masonic Education Class on the 18th and the Family Reunion in August. Additionally, the Internet Web Site continues to draw eight to ten contacts per day. Thanks for allowing me to build the site for the Lodge. I'm adding content on a weekly basis and will strive to make it a worthy symbol of Smithfield Lodge.
Warmest regards,
David Terrell
Brethren,
This has been a very busy month for me. I have been able to visit "Smithfield West" (Paradise Valley #61), plus take care of all the business at Smithfield. The brethren at paradise Valley send their best to Smithfield and they are looking forward to visiting us during the installation of officers in June.
They are very busy in Phoenix. I got to see two degrees conferred while I was there. Good Time . . .
by the time you get this newsletter, we will have had the privilege of attending the Grand Master's official visit to the 64th Masonic District. We have sold twenty-two tickets to this gala and we are looking forward to the dinner and the speeches.
Speaking of the Grand Master, we will be having his Regional Conference at the Home and School on May 30, 1998. The registration will last from 8:00 until 10:00 A.M. The conference itself will last until noon. This is an important meeting for us, so please attend. We must have at least nine of the officers present to qualify for the attendance award. Plan now to attend.
The Public Schools' Week program was very good. The speaker, Jeff Burnett, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hurst, challenged each of us to do our part for the children of our School Districts. Get involved with our future.
Fraternally yours,
B.R. Campbell, Secretary
April 2 -- Stated Meeting 7:30 PM
April 8 -- Masonic Service Bureau
April 11 -- Golden Trowel, Dinner at 6:30 PM
April 18 -- District Education Meeting at 8:00 AM at Hemphill Heights
April 28 -- Smithfield Masonic Education Institute at 7 PM
Brother Charlie Groves, who is fighting a very serious illness.
David Terrell's wife, Liz, who is having major surgery.
The following brethren will observe their Masonic Birthdays in April. They were raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason during this month.
R.D. Bates 4-14-88
J.W. Beach 4-27-92
L.W. Egger, PM 4-16-64
A.C. Evans 4-29-76
S.I. Hayes 4-12-44
T.L. Hester, PM 4-20-74
K.M. Jordan 4-27-93
R.T. Koonce, PM 4-20-74
R.B. Lester, PM 4-11-57
J.A. Minshew 4-28-69
D.O. Morris 4-10-79
Walter Nelson 4-20-53
S.D. Newell 4-30-91
J.S. Phillips 4-16-70
G.W. Powell 4-16-92
W.W. Ritter 4- 6-68
G.R. Sadler 4-22-48
F.P. Sakert 4-10-86
M.D. Self 4-10-75
T.L. Taylor 4-12-88
W.C. Wagner 4- 1-86
R.W. Wright 4-11-85
Congratulations Brethren!
The REGIUS MANUSCRIPT is the oldest of the known manuscript charges of Freemasonry. It was written about 1390, is in the old English of Chaucer's time, and is very difficult to read. This old manuscript contains 15 articles and 15 points, of which the following is a free transcript, care being taken to convey the spirit of the thought rather than literary accuracy.
Articles.
Points.
Send your questions or comments to: David G. Terrell (smithfield455@fwst.net)