Post Office Box 821413, Fort Worth, Texas 76182 USA
May, 1998
Dear Brethren,
My message this month is one of utmost importance. The Masonic year is almost over and after talking with the Secretary, I find that 46 of our members have not yet paid their dues.
Brothers, this number is alarming to me. At this time last year, the number was less than 20. The dues increase voted upon earlier this year was to keep this exact thing from happening. This delay in receiving dues means that $2300.00 was not deposited in the general fund, to keep the Lodge account and our budget in line with our expenses. It forces the Lodge to scramble like a balancing act. It's like attempting to stand on your head, perched on a skateboard while its rolling down hill at 45 m.p.h. while you're gargling peanut butter, and stacking 10 small ball bearings. So much for similes.
Please, do not go suspended for non payment of dues. Send your check today. If you are having honest difficulty paying your dues, most problems can be dealt with by simply calling the Lodge and speaking with the Secretary. Or drop us a line. The mailing address is on page four. Or call us at (817) 656 2311. We'll be glad to help.
I deeply regret the duty of informing you of the passing of Brother Charlie Groves. P.M. Brother Groves died April 16th 1998. Charlie will be missed greatly, and remembered by all whose lives he touched. It was an honor to know him.
Brother David Myers P.M. was presented the Golden Trowel Award on Saturday April 11th. Brother Billy Campbell P.M. was the presenter, along with the Senior and Junior Wardens and myself. A special thanks to Linda, Butch, and Daryle Hester, and Brothers David Terrell, and Bo Hestilow, for preparing the meal and the Lodge.
STEVE BACHMAN.............W.M.
Brethren,
I hope everyone is enjoying the coming of Spring and all the beauty and rebirth that it brings! Many of us had the honor of sharing an equally touching experience at Kopperl Lodge. As you know, the trowel is an instrument used by Masons to spread brotherly love. This was fully demonstrated when Smithfield went to visit Brother Cantrell Autrey.
We visited Kopperl lodge to show our support for him and other lodges, and the feeling was indescribable. There was such an overwhelming sense of love, fellowship and support. As a young Mason, I was inspired by the examples set by those who attended. The only way to explain this feeling would be to bring you with us on the next visit! Thanks to all the brothers who were able to go, and I hope we can do this again very soon.
Daryle Hester
Dear Brethren,
Charles Dickens' words at the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities haunt me this month. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." On one hand, you will notice from the memorials on page one that two great and good men were called to their eternal home above. Charlie was like a father unto me. Oh Lord! I will miss him more than words can express.
You know, I have never been to Ohio, but to have produced men like Charlie Groves and Jim Allen, I could love it "sight unseen." I look forward with joy to the day when Charlie, Brother Cobb and I will meet again, at the Master's feet.
On a brighter note, the April Stated Meeting was very well attended and very busy. We had several visitors. Brother Chester Milner, who was presented his Oklahoma 50-year award at Smithfield last year, visited again. It was wonderful to see him again. Other visitors were: Brother Richard Gant, a transplantee from New Jersey (. . . NEW JERSEY! . . . Get a rope!); Brother Marion McMullan (River Oaks Lodge), who presented a message from the Most Worthy Eastern Star Chapter; Brother Ralph McCarroll of Riverside Lodge; and, Brother Lance McCullum (Stockyards Lodge), who spoke to the Lodge in his capacity as President of the Masters', Wardens' and Secretaries' Association. Brother Lance is asking the Lodges for a vote of confidence concerning future participation in the Fort Worth Stock Show. We should have that vote at the next Stated Meeting. If you have an opinion, come and speak your peace.
Congratulations to Brother Franklin, who turned in his Master's proficiency in the last month. Thanks to Brother Witt, who donated several Garage Sale items. By the way, you don't have to wait for the Garage Sale to buy something. We have a couple of large-frame bicycles with the "old-style" fat tires for sale and Bunk Koonce will be happy to sell them to you! Thanks to Brother Carpenter, who donated a supply of kitchen utensils to the Lodge. Congratulations to Brother Donald Russell, whose petition for reinstatement was accepted by the Lodge! It's good to have you back! Brother Coates received his Endowed Membership certificate. Brother Webb and myself received our Ritual Proficiency Certificates. A hearty welcome to Brothers Milner and Gant, mentioned above as two of our honored visitors, who expressed their desire to affiliate with Smithfield Lodge.
Brother Haygood presented a short talk on what he expects to discover in the York Rite. Although Brother Haygood said that having the Right Excellent Grand High Priest (Brother Coates) in the audience made him nervous, everyone agrees that he made a great presentation. A motion to obtain a "Fellowcraft Carpet" was presented to the Lodge. We've had plans for several years to make our own but, time has been at a premium. Brother Coates made the "right excellent" suggestion that we contact the Grand Lodge to see if we can obtain a carpet that once belonged to a demised Lodge. The Lodge voted to present a Lamar Award to a deserving High School Senior with a $250 scholarship. Brother Campbell reported that 22 tickets were sold for the Grand Master's banquet and 18 members attended the dinner. Brother Webb, noting the increasing size of the Lodge Endowment Fund, asked the Brethren to begin considering using the fund's earnings next year rather than simply rolling the earnings back into the fund.
David Terrell
Brethren,
This has been a very curious month for me, many highs and a few lows. The highs included being asked to present the Golden Trowel Award to one of our own, David Myers PM, who is one of the key cogs in our Lodge. His expertise has saved this Lodge, and others a lot of money. His dedication to the tenants of freemasonry have been noted by many. Congratulations, Brother David!
Now to some of the Lows ... We suffered the loss of one of the bright spots in our Lodge. Brother Charlie Groves PM passed away and was buried with Masonic graveside services, performed by Brother Harold Webb PM. What a loss to the Brotherhood! We pass our condolences on to Eileen and the Groves family. Brother Charlie will be missed by his Lodge. Another low was finding out that Mary Rumfield, wife of Johnnie Rumfield PM was critically ill. Let us remember her, in her distress.
I was very disappointed in the attendance at the Education Class held at Hemphill Heights Lodge, last Saturday. Some twenty-two Brethren attended and only three from our Lodge. I am considering rescheduling this class later, for District 64A only. This class has some good information in it. Please try to attend the next class. More later.
Smithfield Lodge voted to give a $250.00 scholarship, and the Lamar Award, to a deserving student at Richland High School. We have had another $250.00 anonymously donated to add to the Lodge money, so we will award $500.00 at this time. The name of the recipient will be announced later.
A letter notifying those who have not paid their dues have been sent out. The dues are $50.00. The Masonic benefits have been detailed and the procedure for reinstatement has been explained. the dues were raised to meet the Grand Lodge per capita dues increase, and to give our Lodge operating capital. If Masonic tradition holds true, Brother Daryle Hester will be elected to the East. I mention this only to help you realize what we owe to this young man. We raised him, placed him in a position of responsibility, and cannot deny him funds to carry out his programs. Get behind this young man and support him in his year as Master of Smithfield lodge.
Fraternally yours,
B.R. Campbell, Secretary
May 7 -- Stated Meeting 7:30 PM
May 13 -- Masonic Service Bureau
May 30 -- Grand Master's Regional Conference at the Home and School, 8 AM
The following brethren will observe their Masonic Birthdays in May. They were raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason during this month.
R.P. Burgess 5-23-89 A.T. Cain 5-14-85 T.S. Carpenter 5-22-75 A.L. Chote 5-17-56 M.L. Harwell 5-17-49 R.E. Holder PM 5-19-53 R.R. Irwin 5- 9-67 D.G. LaPlante 5-16-96 S.F. LeMaster APM 5-13-67 R.S. Lewis 5-13-50 J.C. Lorenzo 5-27-78 J.L. Lyons 5-12-82 F.M. Morrow, Jr. 5-19-53 L.E. Morrow PM 5-31-66 J. Reynolds APM 5-21-59 W.A. Schopper 5-27-80 C.W. Smith 5- 9-74 T.C. Walker 5-12-66 D.V. Wiltse 5-18-95
Congratulations Brethren!
In 1992, a small group of Geelong (Victoria, Australia) masons conceived a "different" type of Masonic lodge. Lamenting the decline in membership of the craft, they drew on their Masonic experience, particularly of overseas freemasonry, to put together a new lodge working on what they came to describe as the "European Concept". This experiment was based on melding together successful Masonic practice from other parts of the Masonic world, within the context of freemasonry in Victoria.
The first result was the consecration , on 27 February 1993, of Lodge Epicurean No 906, at Geelong. This lodge , which was to meet six times per year, met with great success. In its first three years starting with 35 founders, it initiated nineteen new members, and took many joining members. Virtually all these new members are regular attendees. Despite usual losses through deaths and resignations it started its 4th year in 1996 with 54 members, representing a net increase of membership of more than 50%.
As a result of this success a daughter Lodge, Lodge Amalthea No. 914, was consecrated at Sandringham in suburban Melbourne on 29th April 1995 as a "clone" of its mother Lodge. It initiated ten new members in 1996 alone. Several additional lodges using the "European Concept" are Likely to be formed in Victoria over the next few years.
The basic premise of the Concept was to reverse what members saw as a long - term decline in the quality of freemasonry as practiced in Victoria which in their view, was mostly responsible for the decline in craft membership. The concept has a great many features. In terms of lodge workings, while strictly maintaining the ritual and ceremonial of Victorian Constitution lodges (and ensuring the highest standards of performance of the same), a main aim was to streamline administration. In the lodge, all visitors are admitted at the Opening, alleviating the necessity of lengthy admissions. Minutes and correspondence is circulated with the Summons allowing the business of the lodge to be dealt with in meetings with great speed. Typically, the lodge opens at 6pm and takes the "alarm" for candidates at 6.15pm.
The lodge also determined not to have a Festive Board (which in the view of members encompassed overlong speeches and generally a repast off doubtful quality). Instead members dine at selected local restaurants after each meeting. The dining component is factored into the dues. In combination with the quality of the lodge proceedings themselves, this encourages an average lodge attendance of over 90% of members at meetings.
The most important aspect of European Concept "lodge is its Masonic education program. It works from the premise that "a brother will only sit in a lodge room in the medium to long term if he understands exactly why he is sitting there". The lodge Education Committee in effect, is the educational powerhouse of the lodge. It has developed an extensive education program for candidates which includes a high level of degree proficiency. Regular education seminars are held at lodge rehearsals and when candidates are retired at Installations, or during 2nd or 3rd degree workings.
A full description and commentary on a European Concept Lodge is contained in the paper "Back to the Future - A Prescription for Masonic Renewal (The Lodge Epicurean Experience), by Kent Henderson, published in "Masonic Inspirations "- the 1994 Transactions of the Victorian Lodge of Research No. 218. (recently updated - copies available from David Terrell on request)
Send your questions or comments to: David G. Terrell (smithfield455@fwst.net)