Arizona
MASONRY Grand Lodge of Arizona F. & A.M. February 2018
ARIZONA MASONRY Editor in Chief Scott A. Thomas, Grand Master Managing Editor Roger C. Biede III, Grand Editor Arizona Masonry is an official publication of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons or Arizona. Unless otherwise noted, articles in this publication express only the private opinion or assertions of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Grand Lodge. The jurisdiction speaks only through the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge Trustees when attested to as official in writing by the Grand Secretary. The Editorial staff invites the contributions in the form of informative articles, reports, news and other timely information (Of about 350 to 800 words in length) that is broadly related to general Masonry. When possible, photographs or graphics that support he submission are appreciated. Pieces submitted become the property of the Grand Lodge, F. & A.M. of Arizona. No compensation is permitted for any article, photograph, or other submitted for publication. Permission to reprint articles is automatically granted to recognized Masonic publication with proper credit given. Please direct all articles and correspondence to Roger C. Biede III 988 E. Saddleback Pl. San Tan Valley, Ariz 85143 Editor@AzMasons.org For submissions for the next issue of Arizona Masonry or The Copper Post please contact Editor@AzMasons.org
Cover Picture Image: Scott A. Thomas 2017-18 Grand Master F. & A.M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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2018 Greetings to the Brethren and Friends! Greetings Brethren, Now that the start of the new year is behind us, I hope all is well with you as we continue not only with our responsibilities, but also to embark on new activities and do the work of the Craft to improve our fraternity and ourselves. We have had quite a few significant and wonderful things occur in the first half of the Masonic year, not only inside our jurisdiction, but also within Freemasonry in general; The Grand Lodge of England’s 300th anniversary milestone, the formation of our Grand Lodge of Arizona Foundation (GLOAF), and the many newly raised Masons throughout the State just to name a few. However, as we enjoy these accomplishments there have been some challenges and trying situations. What is important to understand is why they occurred and how we can learn from them to avoid their similar re-occurrence. I believe the care and health of our Lodges is every Mason's responsibility and it is incumbent on us to have ownership of that reality. Remember, our Lodge's deserve to have our engagement whether it be active leadership, attending a meeting or social gathering, or some other involvement as it is important to their health that we support them with our presence. Please consider attending your Lodge if you have not been in awhile, catch-up and visit with the Brethren, and participate as there are many benefits of this engagement not only for the Lodge, your brethren, but also for you. I would like to emphasize that in addition to Lodge events there are Grand Lodge and District level activities planned to occur, so please visit www.azmasons.org, which is updated regularly as well as look for information and recognition in The Copper Post which is sent via e-mail to the Lodges. Enjoy the many Masonic events around our State and as always, I look forward to seeing you in Lodge! Thank you. Fraternally, Scott A. Thomas Grand Master 2017-2018 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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HIGHLIGHTING THE MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIFS IN FREEMASONRY By Jaime Paul Lamb When one examines Masonic ritual & symbolism through the interpretive lens of Classical Mythology, the correspondences immediately begin to present themselves and become, at times, strikingly obvious. These inferences and allusions are present to such a degree within the Craft – in the Officer’s Jewels, the Furniture of the Lodge Room, the Deacon’s Rods, even in the rituals themselves – that almost everywhere one cares to look can be found some vestige of the great mythological systems of the world. Considering the fact that it would be nearly impossible to exhaustively catalog every instance of possible mythological import within Freemasonry, the following will be limited to a few of the more glaring examples. The Orders of Architecture, as described in Vitruvius’ On Architecture, are present in the Masonic Fellowcraft Degree lecture. Several allusions to these orders are also found in the Lodge room and furniture therein. The Doric order is said to denote strength and was held sacred to Ares, the god of war. In ancient building practices, the Doric order was used in the construction of structures which served a martial purpose, such as those devoted to warfare or defense. This style is especially notable for its relative simplicity. It is the least ornamental of the original Greek orders of architecture, thereby evoking a martial atmosphere through its clean, unembellished lines. The Three Principal Supports of the Masonic Lodge are Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. In Freemasonry, the Doric column is associated with Strength – the Senior Warden’s station. The Ionian order of architecture denotes wisdom and was held sacred to Athena. Being between the Doric and Corinthian in overall complexity, it is moderate and tempered in appearance. This style was most frequently employed in houses of learning, such as academies and libraries. In the Masonic Lodge, the Ionian column is attributed to Principal Support of Wisdom, which is further associated with the Worshipful Master’s station. The Corinthian order of architecture was employed when a structure was to be designated for an artistic or aesthetic purpose, such as a museum. This order was considered sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty. The Corinthian style was the most ornate of the three original, ancient Greek orders of architecture. In Freemasonry, this Corinthian column is fittingly associated with Beauty and the office of Junior Warden, which is in the South. The Senior and Junior Stewards’ rods are ornately capped with a cornucopia within a square and compasses. The cornucopia comes to us directly from Classical Mythology, where it is considered to be the horn of Amalthea, the she-goat that suckled Zeus in his infancy. The cornucopia also appears as a symbol of Demeter, the grain mother. The Roman counterpart of Demeter is Ceres, the etymological namesake of our word “cereal”. The crossed keys of the Treasurer’s jewel is also a notable mythological motif, as they have been associated with the Greek goddess Hecate, and also with the Leontocephaline, a lesser figure present in the iconography of Roman Mithraism. Hecate, a lunar crone-goddess, was associated with crossroads, silver and currency – which is pertinent to the office of Treasurer. The Leontocephaline, or “lion-headed”, is sometimes depicted with crossed keys held over the chest and a set of hammer and tongs, the working tools of Hephaestus, at his feet. This gains significance, Masonically, when we consider that Tubal-cain inhabits the same archetypal role in the Abrahamic canon (i.e. metallurgical artificer) as Hephaestus does in the Hellenic.
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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Cont. The lyre is most commonly associated with Orpheus, to whom it was given by Phoebus-Apollo (Apollo in his most solar aspect). Orpheus is said to have charmed man and beast with the instrument and to have used it to gain access to Hades in order to fetch Eurydice, his ill-fated bride. This he accomplished by enchanting both Charon, the Stygian boatman, and Cerberus, the threeheaded dog, with his music. The myth of his chthonic descent/ascent is conjectured to have formed the basis of the Orphic Mysteries. One may readily find depictions of the lyre in statuary and/or bas-relief adorning the many Orpheums and Lyric Halls across the Western World – these are, of course, in reference to Orpheus and his lyre, respectively. The Blazing Star, a five-pointed star within a circle, is often depicted in the center of the Checkered Pavement. This symbol is alternately said to represent the Sun, Sirius (A & B combined, as seen by the naked eye) and Venus. The Solar interpretation is obvious, in terms of the Sun’s Masonic significance as being the “glory and beauty of the day”, etcetera, but the theory of the Blazing Star as a representation of Sirius provides us with much more symbolic substance for our contemplation. Sirius, which is actually a binary system composed of the stars Sirius A and Sirius B, is the brightest star in the sky, apart from the Sun. This star resides in the constellation of Canis Major, hence the name “the Dog Star” (a name from whence we get the phrase, “the dog days of summer”, or the Latin dies caniculares, denoting the heliacal rising and setting of Sirius during the summer months in that region). Sirius was later personified as the Egyptian Iachen, the Minoan I Wa Ko and thereby the Greek Iakchos, the torch-bearing son of Persephone. The Blazing Star’s relationship to Venus (also anciently known as the Morning and/or Evening Star) may best be illustrated by the fact that it is represented in the form of a pentagram. This significance comes primarily from the fact that Venus traces a five-petalled rosette at the completion of its synodic period, which is 583.9211 days – the amount of time it takes for the planet to return its originally observed position, relative to that of the Sun, as seen from the perspective of Earth – thus itself alluding to the pentagram. The pentagram is commonly found in Freemasonry, likely due to its prevalence in Pythagoreanism. The Weeping Virgin of the Third Degree is a statue made reference to in the Master Mason Lecture in Blue Lodge Freemasonry. The work consists of the figure of a virgin, her hands folded as in prayer, leaning over a broken column as an old man, holding a scythe, undoes the braids in her hair. The old, male figure bears a likeness to Cronus, the Titanic father of Zeus, present here in his popular personification as Father Time. The weeping virgin, in this context, could be construed as a representation of Persephone, the Kore. In this interpretation, we are reminded of an incident in Greek Mythology known as the Rape of Persephone. There are both astrological and agricultural keys to the allegory of this event and these, when used in conjunction, provide us with an interesting narrative. If we consider the figure of Father Time as representing Saturn then, through common and established astrological correspondences, we arrive at the Winter Solstice via the zodiacal house of Capricornus, which is ruled by Cronus. In the myth, Persephone was abducted by Hades while she was collecting wild flowers – an obvious sign of Spring or the Vernal Equinox. He then carried her to his kingdom in the Underworld, which is also symbolic of the Winter Solstice – a place almost universally regarded as the abode of death. The whole scene can easily be read as a wonderful symbolic depiction of certain known aspects of the Eleusinian Mysteries. In Classical Mythology, we find yet another lens through which to view and interpret the symbolism of Freemasonry. Though, it seems that no matter which lens we apply, Freemasonry stands up to the most intense scrutiny as being more than just, “a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.” Jaime Paul Lamb is a Past Master of Arizona Research Lodge No. 1 and an active member of Arizona Lodge No. 2 in Phoenix, Arizona.
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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THE BEAUTY OF THE BLUE LODGE A very proper matron entered a golf Pro’s shop one afternoon and after looking over the brilliant display of clubs, bags and other trappings of the game, turned to the Pro and said, “How do you play the game?” He hesitated a moment and then said, “Madam, if you only want the basic principles it is very simple, you take these clubs and knock the ball into eighteen consecutive holes as you pass around the course, trying to get around in the least number of strokes. But if you really want to learn the game, as it is played by the adept, you must add to those simple rules, years of practice, the development of skills, and the improvement of your concentration and coordination. In this way only can you be recognized as a true golfer.” Thus it is with Freemasonry. We all join the Blue Lodge, but do you simply “knock the ball around” or do you stay around and really learn the “game?” We all join of our own free will and accord, but again, why? Was your decision influenced by some overzealous friend? Was it because your father belonged? Was it because you thought it would be a status symbol? Was it because you felt that it would help your business? Or (hopefully) did you wish to help improve yourself morally and spiritually? Whatever the reason may have been, you have been raised to the Sublime degree of a Master Mason. As a Master Mason, you have obtained the highest degree that Masonry has to offer. You have obtained an elementary education in a deep and mystic science. Yes, we have other degrees but not higher degrees (although they may be termed “higher” numerically). You may become a Knights Templar or a member of the Consistory 32° or a Noble of the Shrine Temple. With these degrees many of the lessons that you have learned are explained in more detail, many in interesting and dramatic ways, and all are earnestly recommended for your consideration. There are available an unlimited number of books and periodicals to enlighten the mind to the mysteries of our Ancient Science. But, try as you may, even the most brilliant student of Freemasonry has never in a lifetime been able to completely solve all of the mysteries of the Order. What a sad thing it is that there are men who join the Blue Lodge, only to use it as simple symbol of belonging or as a stepping stone for some other affiliated organization and thereby overlook the real Tenants of the Order. If you have missed the beauty of the degrees and lectures of the Blue Lodge I implore you, step back and attend the meetings, converse with well-informed brethren, study some of the writings on Blue Lodge subjects and I assure you that the whole of Freemasonry will take on a new exciting character. In this manner, it is easily understood how Masonry has withstood the rigors of time and has emerged the beautiful institution that it is today. Get involved, visit your Lodge, take action to improve yourself both morally and spiritually. Don’t just be a member, be a real part of the greatest organization the World has ever known. Fraternally, Craig L. Gross Deputy Grand Master 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
Masonic Trivia: Hoover Dam, originally known as Boulder Dam from 1933 to 1947, when it was officially renamed Hoover Dam by a joint resolution of Congress, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over one hundred lives. Some of those Operative Masons were also Speculative Masons and on the weekends when they were not building the dam, they used their expertise to build the Lodge building of Kingman Lodge No. 22 in Kingman, Arizona.
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Educational Pathways and Strategic Thinking CAPSTONE is born “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” -- Benjamin Franklin Any Masonic journey begins with a first step. The Masonic Education and Services Committee had to deal with many steps to address the diverse knowledge levels of the Craft. Therefore, Strategic Planning and thinking was essential tools in the development of Goal Identification and Objective pathways. Strategic thinking helps me plan, to become more efficient, and to find the most direct path toward achieving any objective. That is the philosophy that is being followed in the Masonic Education and Service Committee. The first step in the plan was to ask the right questions. What do we want to achieve? What should we do next? Why? Are we on target? Do we have the right people on task? Like an architect we needed a set of blueprints to determine what this “thing” was going to look like. After many discussions, the Masonic Educational blueprint started to come into focus and the first issue was to review and enhance the Candidate Education Program. After that… what next? The next step was to create an open book program that would assist the Masonic student enhance his knowledge of Arizona Ritual by digging into the Arizona Ritual book. To be more specific, this program was being geared to address two main areas. First, to give Arizona Masons (new and seasoned) a challenge in testing themselves on different bits of information found in the Arizona Ritual Manual and Secondly, to assist transplanted Masons from other jurisdictions get into the Arizona ritual book. CAPSTONE was born! The CAPSTONE professional program was created to meet those two requirements. The program presents open book examinations for each of the three degrees with an answer key to check the answers. It is hoped by the time this article is published that the program is on the website and ready to roll out. CAPSTONE is not meant to be a continuation of the Candidate Education Program. It is geared to be a stand-alone program that could be used by coaches and mentors as an educational tool. It is hoped that the Masonic student will use his own initiative to enroll in the program to enhance his knowledge level and assist other lesser informed brothers. CAPSTONE in conjunction with the Grand Lecturer’s School of Instruction builds a very strong ritual base for every student who takes advantage of both opportunities. In conclusion: I look forward to feedback and critiques on each of the programs that we roll out for the Craft. We work for you. See you at Casa Grande! Fraternally, George E. Weil Chairman, Masonic Education and Services Committee 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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Social Media Is social media killing Freemasonry? Some would argue that it is, taking the attention of current and potential members away from the craft and occupying their minds and time with superfluous posting, texting, tweeting. Are we at risk of exposing our secrets to the public by sharing pictures, events, and celebrations? Might we give the wrong impression of our craft by these postings? I suggest that social media is a valuable tool that we need to learn to use to our advantage, to share the positive ideas of the craft and communicate with one another in near real time at great distances. Each lodge or Grand Lodge should consider the ramifications and draw up guidelines for the members to follow when posting, tweeting or sharing information. As Masons we each, individually, represent the craft in public and should follow a code of conduct when talking in person or posting on social media. Please make azmasons.org your Home Page. Send any comments, suggestions or ideas to grusk@hotmail.com. Fraternally, George Rusk Senior Grand Steward 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
2018 Grand Lodge Communication Awards Brethren, the deadline for submissions for Grand Lodge of Arizona Awards is fast approaching. Please check the Grand Lodge website, AzMasons.org for all Grand Lodge awards and the criteria. Lodges should already be working with your DDGM’s on the Master Architect and Master Builder Awards. These two Lodge awards are geared towards promoting all around healthy and active Fraternity and earning one should be the goal of every Lodge. Websites are a major source of communication in this day and age and an important tool to share information with our Brethren and future Brethren. Every Lodge in Arizona with a Website is automatically in the running for the Grand Lodge Website award and there is no need for a separate submission. The Grand Lodge TrestleBoard Award is being judged by Lodge size and samples need to be sent to the Grand Editor at editor@azmasons.org. The Grand Lodge Mason of the Year is a very prestigious and honorable award to recognize those Masons that have brought the most to the Craft and to the community. We urge every Lodge to submit a worthy candidate for this yearly award. The 2017 Mason of the Year, Russel Sayre is the Committee Chairman and should be sent all submissions at the address listed on the Grand Lodge website. The Deadline for all Grand Lodge Award submissions is April 15, 2018. This is a hard date for all submissions. (Items for the Architect and Builder Awards can be completed after the deadline by entering the planned completion date and a follow up with confirmation once completed) Hope to see many applications and have a banner year with the awards. Fraternally, Brian Pilz Chairman Awards Committee 2017-18 Grand Lodge F. & A.M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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Investment Advisory Committee The Committee. The Investment Advisory Committee is a special committee of the Grand Lodge of Arizona. The committee is responsible to the Grand Master and the Grand Lodge Trustees. It is the committee’s job to look at the performance of the Grand Lodge investments and make recommendations to the Grand Lodge Trustees who will then approve or disapprove those recommendations. This committee makes no decisions regarding the buying or selling of Grand Lodge investments. Once approval is given, action is taken by the investment advisor at Southwest Wealth Advisory Group. Meetings. Meetings of the committee are held four times a year to coincide with the meetings of the Grand Lodge Trustees. We meet two days prior to the scheduled Trustees meeting in order to give them the most current and accurate information and recommendations. The meetings of the committee are held at the Grand Lodge Administrative Offices on West Northern Avenue usually beginning at 10:00 a.m. Our investment advisor brings with him all the paperwork with the facts, figures and performance percentages needed to make our recommendations. Purpose. The purpose of this committee is to keep focus on the longterm goals and short-term needs as outlined in the Investment Policy Statement or IPS. The Investment Policy Statement is a document prepared by the Grand Lodge Trustees that gives the investment objective of each of the classes of investments. The Investment Advisory Committee uses this information to position each of the investment funds in accordance with their proper investment strategy. For instance some investment funds are used to accumulate income and distribute that income on an annual basis. To do this properly the IPS requires this fund to be more heavily weighted in bond funds and in some cases dividend producing stock funds. In that manner there is less volatility or risk. When the markets are up the fund will not perform as high as the other funds which have more stock exposure. Conversely, when stocks are not performing well the funds will not be adversely affected and will continue to generate the necessary income to meet its investment objective. We do not invest in individual stocks or bonds but rather mutual funds which keep the invested funds very diversified. When the committee takes a look at the portfolio snapshot it reveals several key facts. First how well are the funds performing collectively and individually. Second we look at the portfolio and two benchmarks. The two benchmarks are the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond index. One is a stock index and the other is a bond index. Our portfolio will generally appear somewhere in the middle. This is because we not completely invested in stocks or in bonds but both thereby keeping our risk low and our returns within the risk tolerance established in the IPS. Third we look at the overall investment objective and fourth the asset type. The asset type tells us the allocation percentage of the bonds, cash, non-US stocks (European multi-nationals), US stocks and other. We try to them in balance and will sometimes recommend adjustments to the allocation of the asset type. All this information appears on just one sheet of paper and it is called the 30,000 foot look at the portfolio. Next the committee will look at a fourteen page historical performance by investment fund. This part takes the most time to go through. We look at each individual fund in each of the investment accounts. There are just over 230 mutual funds in the portfolios but what we are most interested in is the percentage of growth in each of the mutual funds. If a fund is not performing well it is placed on a “watch list” and will be further tracked at future meetings. If there is no improvement a recommendation will be made to the Grand Lodge trustees for their decision to reallocate the funds. Funds. There are four primary investment funds that are managed by the Grand Lodge Trustees. The four funds are the Phoenix Foundation, Perpetual I, Perpetual II, and the Grand Lodge of Arizona Foundation or GLOF. There are two other funds but they are very small amounting to less that one-tenth of one percent of the total funds invested. Performance. It has been just over five years since the Grand Lodge Trustees selected Southwest Wealth Advisory Group. In that time the investments of Grand Lodge have grown over $1.3 million dollars in value. This has been accomplished through the shared diligence and prudence of the Grand Lodge Trustees, the Investment Advisory Committee and Southwest Wealth Advisory Group. Fraternally Russell Sayre (43, 75) Chairman, Investment Advisory Committee 2017-18 Grand Lodge F. & A.M. of Arizona Committee Members Paul Burns (15) Raymond Everett (1) Ron Richards (32, 41) Gary Horn (23)
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Arizona Masonic Foundation for Children We have been very busy at the Arizona Masonic Foundation for Children. We cannot rest in our efforts to fight this scourge of AT RISK CHILDREN in our state. Let us look into the face of this Beast - Children's Defense Fund Data - Each Day in America: 4 Killed By Abuse Or Neglect; 5 Commit Suicide; 208 Arrested For Violent Crimes; 467 Arrested For Drug Crimes; 914 Babies Born To Teen Mothers; 2,712 Born Into Poverty; 4,475 Babies Born To Unmarried Mothers; 4,500 Children Arrested; 2,857 Students Drop Out; 16,244 Students Suspended. Also, I recently read an article from the JAMA about a study based on 5.7M CPS confirmed cases between 2004 and 2011 which found that 1 in 8 or 12.5% children in the US experienced a CPS confirmed case of maltreatment by age 18. In perspective, this results in over 9.3M maltreated children in the US and in Arizona over 200,000. Remember maltreatment consists of (neglect or physical/sexual/mental abuse) and it is only one cause of at risk children. That is the beast we fight everyday on your behalf. Remember Brothers, a child at risk will remain at risk until someone intervenes – we are intervening on your behalf. Without this intervention – the Beast wins! Also, last year some 17 years later, in Diane Sawyer’s interview of Sue Klebold, the mother of Columbine killer Dylan Klebold about Columbine High School. Sue Klebold said: “I felt that I was a good mom… That he would, he could talk to me about anything,” Klebold continued. “Part of the shock of this was learning that what I believed and how I lived and how I parented was-- an invention in my own mind. That it, it was a completely different world that he was living in.” This is exactly what our Foundation has been teaching and informing for years now. The world of Children has changed, and few recognize that, much less have developed an understanding of it and a set of solutions for it. Parents cannot do this alone – they are not experts in at risk behavior and the intervention required - we long ago at our inception partnered with Educator to provide our At-Risk Intervention model because they most frequently interface with the children and can provide a safe and supportive environment necessary for change. However, understand the Educator is not an expert either. There are no at risk intervention classes at the university. That 21 – 22-year-old College Graduate with an Education degree doesn’t come with a kit bag full of knowledge on at risk children, their behavior, or intervention development when they first enter the classroom. We give that tool to use. Even where there are existing program in the schools, the Educator constantly tells that our model or some portion supplementing or augmenting their program is of great value to them. Is this worth all this money and effort? ABSOLUTELY! In addition to our successes in prior years, since 2006 our children at risk program results has had over 2100 attendees - 44 school districts - over 160 schools which, according to the national statistic establish by a major university study, constitutes at least 11,000 children being affected by positive change most likely - as many as 18,000+ within the 1st year after the educator attends and will continue year after year as long as they are in the classroom. All this at a Cost per Class of $10 - 14K per class. This cost is necessary in order for us to bring in the true experts. However, the cost per educator is $140 – $200 per educator for a professional 3-day workshop which is seen by the educators as a tremendous bargain and a true gift from the Masonic Family of Arizona, and most importantly the Cost/Child is around $20 when we factor in the number of children affected by attendees. Ask “ANY” educator who has attended and then “LISTEN” to their answer. In addition to the result reported above, on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being an Excellent rating, the 2100 Critique Sheets submitted from the subject classes Averaged 4.992 for the 12 categories evaluated and contain an over whelming amount of glowing and laudatory written comments on those item where we solicit comments. (cont.)
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Arizona Masonic Foundation for Children Since we are all volunteers, we can only perform labor intensive surveying sparingly. However, our last set of Principal/Team Leader Surveys – in 2010 statically the Arizona data showed: 90.9% of students referred to MSAP were excepted into the program; 47.69% have completed the program while 52.3% and were still working through their agreed intervention plan; of those intervention plans being closed - 88.7% were showing a positive change, while 11.2% were negative or would not complete their intervention plan; referrals were for the following issues: academic 49.2%, behavioral 45%, health 5%, attendance 9%, and multi reasons 16%. Three years ago we received The Arizona Department of Education approval of Professional Development for CTE Certification for our MSAP Student Assistance/Children at Risk Intervention, 3-Day Workshop. Therefore, we can currently offer this to the Educators who attend our workshop. Brothers you must remember, we at the Foundation do this without benefit of monetary support from the Grand Lodge – look at the budget. What monies we get from GL is the $5 fee per candidate, the 50/50 split from Masonic License plate – which we had the major hand in successfully traversing the State Approval process, and individual specific donations made thru the Grand Lodge - Period. As a self-funder, since 2006 we on our own have raised over $500,000 of grants and donation to fund the results reported above and you Brothers have participated through our Annual Solicitation letter. Brother, without preaching to you, “the greatest of these is Charity”. Charity in its widest meaning is one of the basic tenets of Freemasonry. Among the first lessons taught in the Entered Apprentice Degree are "Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth." Truth is Today more than ever, our children’s need RELIEF and our help in becoming responsible adults as they face countless challenges – broken homes, patterns of substance abuse and incarceration in families, and a complex world with many traditional nurturing institutions shaken. The LOVE and support given them by Masons, their Grand Lodge and their Masonic Family in the battle is direct evidence that we are living these Masonic principles in our daily lives. Remember, our Children at Risk program, like few others, gives an extraordinary positive face to freemasonry statewide and nationally. The Need Is Great, The Cost To Help Is Steep, We Need Your Help! Not Just Money But Volunteers. The Cost Of Doing Nothing Is Unacceptable And Unimaginable! Remember: ‘Columbine’, ‘Safeway supermarket in Tucson Arizona’, ‘Chardon High School in Ohio’, and ‘Sandy Hook Elementary’, etc etc. ENOUGH! A man once observed all the pain in the world for our children until he could stand it no more, so he cried out aloud “God why don’t you do something?” God replied: “I already did, I made you” Fraternally, Jerry Badinger, President, Arizona Masonic Foundation for Children 2017-2018 Grand Lodge F. & A.M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
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The 24 Inch Gauge As I sit here writing this article I find that it is quite appropriate as I have missed the deadline for submittal of this article. My only excuse is that it has been a very busy work week and family commitments. But is this really a necessary excuse? As we learn in the first degree the 24-inch gauge is used to divide our time. Do you divide that time equally every single day? I certainly do not, and it is something that I need to work on. As we are informed we should divide our twenty four hour day into three parts. For me this divide is rarely equal. Most of my day is spent at work and the majority after that is with family. I certainly spend time with God every day, but it is no where near a third of the day. The same goes for Masonry. I wish that I had more time in the day for research or for fellowship with my brethren, but that does not happen on a daily occurrence. What about your brethren? So, the daily struggle is with time management. Each one of us should be working to divide our time as necessary to spend time with family, God and our brothers. So that means that the rest and repose that is required of us must be incorporated into each of these thirds of the day. Some days this might seem like a lofty goal, but I truly believe that it is attainable. If I ever succeed I will let you know! Boyd Robertson Junior Grand Warden 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. Arizona
Old Boyer House, Built for the Holbrook Lodge No. 7 and only used a short time Holbrook, Arizona
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Travel my Brothers I started my Masonic journey in October 2005. My home lodge is Chandler Thunderbird 15 but in 2005 it was known as Chandler 34. In December of 2005 I was raised to the "sublime degree of Master Mason" and five years later I served as master of my lodge for two consecutive terms. I joined the Grand Lodge serving as District Deputy Grand Master and I am now continuing serving as Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Arizona. Over the last 12 years I have met and made friends with various Masons in Arizona as well as in many of the Western States. Over the time of my Masonic career I have come to realize that with a little knowledge and a little effort one can meet good. like minded men and forge strong relationships bringing home the meaning of the words "... in every country and every clime are Masons to be found." If you are a new or an experienced Master Mason my advice is the same: visit other lodges, both near and far, and experience as I have experienced, the brotherly love of Masons anywhere and everywhere around the world. Fraternally, Greg Vasquez Senior Grand Warden 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
Truitt Fund Update Brethren, I am pleased to announce that on November 30th, 2017, Maricopa County Superior Court approved our petition for modification of the Truitt Memorial Fund and issued a Court Order which allows for the distribution of those funds to move into the Grand Lodge of Arizona Foundation, Inc. (GLOAF), for the purposes defined. ( This is a significant accomplishment from the status of a "no ruling" on our original petition as presented to the Court earlier and as previously communicated in the Spring. The petition was allowed to be refiled after the Grand Lodge of Arizona received from the IRS in October the Court's requested 501 C3 Determination Letter for GLOAF. This successful outcome was made possible by the Grand Trustee's unanimous approval of a road map to move the Craft financially forward. Additional reviews and approvals then took place on the components of the action plan and at the 2017 Grand Communication applicable legislation was approved by members of the Grand Lodge of Arizona to modify the structure of restrictive funds and allow the pursuit of outside regulatory and legal approvals. This effort has been accomplished by a dedicated team consisting of the Grand Treasurer VW Michael McGee; Deputy Grand Secretary MW Jim May; and Grand Council Bro. Will Wilkinson and our outside counsel and advisory accountants. In addition, assistance from Grand Lodge Officers both elected and appointed has contributed in numerous ways and without all of this support, effort and the commitment to achieve the objective by everyone involved, the results would not have been possible. Now a media and fundraising effort can begin to communicate and promote both within and outside the fraternity the Grand Lodge of Arizona Foundation, Inc. and all of its encompassing benefits. Thank you. Sincerely and Fraternally, Scott A. Thomas Grand Master 2017-2018 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother Most of you have all heard that phrase before, which I believe has been attributed to one of Father Edward J. Flanagan’s studentorphans many years ago. As you know, he was the late founder and inspirational leader of Boy’s Town in Omaha, Nebraska. Father Flanagan was a thirty-one year old Irish priest who started Boy’s Town in 1917 with $90 he borrowed from a friend. You may have seen the well-known, 1938 movie starring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney, which we all know to be a true classic film. How does that phrase tie into Masonry? Well, as you all know, the trowel is one of the working tools of the 3rd degree. You may recall that in Masonry, the trowel is an instrument used by Masons to spread the cement of brotherly love and affection. As the trowel lecture states, it’s that cement that unites us into one sacred band or society of friends and brothers. It goes without saying that, if we learned our lessons well, we believe that all Masons are a band of brothers and should treat each other as such. It’s a high, but fair standard, and perhaps further edification on the subject might be in order. Since Masons use the word “brother” rather freely, perhaps we should start with the meaning of that word. Perhaps it means different things to different people which is totally understandable. Thanks to a scholar named Noah Webster, lexicographer/author of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, we can start to shed some light on this. As far as I know, Mr. Webster was not a Mason, and I don’t believe he was related to the famous lawyer, politician, and American Statesmen, Daniel Webster. (who apparently was not a Mason either). One of the definitions of the word is as follows. A brother is “one related to another by common ties or interests”. There are of course other meanings, but that one seems to best fit the fraternity we all belong to. There are other words that are somewhat similar such as friend, comrade, associate, fellow, affiliate, society, etc. When we greet one another, or refer to another Mason as “my brother”, all of those words (and their various meanings) are incorporated somewhat. Back in the 60’s a British rock group, the Hollies, had a hit record entitled “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”, which some of you that are not quite so young anymore, may remember. One of the lines stated that “his welfare is my concern and no burden is he to bear”. The song also referred to life as a “long, long road from which there is no return”. (My wife will get mad at me if I fail to inform you that her favorite artist, Neil Diamond, also made a hit record with the same song in 1970). I believe the lyrics of that song, in some respects, can and should apply to the relationship that Masons have with each other. We should all be concerned about the welfare of our Brother Mason, and should lend a helping hand whenever we are able to do so. Our obligation and duty to each other requires nothing less. If we do that, the long road of life which can sometimes be rough and bumpy, as you know, will be much easier to travel. Now back to Father Flanagan and the now famous quotation. Scholars could debate long and hard about what the young orphan meant when he uttered that phrase, and why he decided to use those particular words. (and unknowingly murdered the King’s English along the way!) I think he meant to instill the philosophy that if someone needs help, especially a brother, no load is too heavy and no burden is he to bear. We should all be there to help and assist each other along the way. I firmly believe that this is a common thread that runs throughout Masonry, and it’s why we treat each other the way we do; that is, as brothers. A person who is your friend in good times or bad; someone you can count on and someone who always has your back regardless of the situation at hand, or the trouble or adversity you may face. It’s a high standard, and sometimes we may miss the mark in doing what our Masonic lessons and obligations require us to do. The important thing is to remember the lessons we have learned and do our best in applying them in our daily dealings with each other. (as well as to other individuals who are not members of the Masonic fraternity regardless of their station in life). So when I meet or greet a fellow Mason, I should treat him as someone that I have a common tie or interest with, and he should feel the same way. This is true regardless of one’s station in life; their political point of view; their economic status; their religion; the things they believe in; opinions they may have that our different than ours; etc. The better man and Mason puts those things aside and treats a Brother as a brother. (cont.)
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
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Your Masonic Tool Chest Brethren, We all have our personal Masonic Tool Chest and it is our responsibility to maintain the tools and implements within it. When was the last time you took inventory of its contents and cleaned, repaired and organized them? My professional career was in the Automotive Repair Business starting as a sweeper and general laborer to mechanic and owner. One of the first lessons you are taught is the proper use, care and maintenance of the tools of the trade and how to organize them for quick access and efficient use of space. Our Masonic Tool Chests should be treated with the same love and care we treat our professional tool chests. Do you remember the last time you used your Trowel and did you put it back in its proper place clean and ready to use when needed? If you left some cement of Brotherly Love and Affection on it to dry and get crusty it won’t spread that cement as smoothly and evenly the next time it is needed. A broken or bent point of the Compasses will most likely not draw that complete circle which we are taught to keep our passions and prejudices within due bounds. The lines of measurement should be clear and easily defined on your 24 inch gauge otherwise you are probably not dividing your time properly. Are you spending too much time at work and not enough time with family and your devotions to the Great Architect of the Universe? Can you find the time or make the time to aid a distressed worthy Brother, his Widow or Orphans? Now is the time to reflect on our use and care of our Masonic Tools and Implements and prepare our Hearts and Consciousness to be ready to use them when called on at a moments notice. Jim Baker Junior Grand Deacon 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
Grand Lodge Leadership Conference March 23-25, 2018 Holiday Inn Casa Grande, Arizona <<REGISTER HERE>> He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother
(Cont.)
Father Flanagan’s student-orphan had it right; my Brother Mason is not heavy at all regardless of his situation or the adversity he may be facing at any particular time, because he’s my brother, and I will treat him as such; every day in every way. He ain’t heavy, he’s my Brother! By Gene Wickey Tucson Lodge No. 4 (Trustee) 32 Scottish Rite Mason and Sabbar Shrine
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
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Happy New Year Brethren! During my recent official Lodge visitations, I have been encouraging Brethren attend one or more of the upcoming Grand Lodge events. These events are many times very informative, but even more important they provide us with opportunity to fellowship together. This fellowship allows us to strengthen the fraternal bonds between us. Our ritual may differentiate us from other Fraternal Orders, but we cannot lose sight of the importance of our personal connection to each other. The Grand Lodge Technology Committee has been working very hard to update the website with all of these upcoming events, so be sure to check it out at www.azmasons.org and find an upcoming event that is interesting to you. You can even register and pay online for some of the events now! Come out and strengthen your own personal connectionsâ&#x20AC;Śand maybe even make some brand new ones! As I previously announced, the Grand Lodge is searching the Craft for a fundraising Chairman and committee to be associated with the recently formed GLOAF (Grand Lodge of Arizona Foundation). If you are (or know of) a Brother who has experience or a special talent in the large fund-raising and management arena (and the time and motivation to serve in this capacity) please contact the Grand Lodge office, any Grand Lodge line officer, or me directly. I look forward to seeing you all in Lodge very soon! Fraternally, Randall Jager Senior Grand Deacon 2017-18 Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Arizona
You can represent the Fraternity with your very own Masonic License Plate There is a $25 initial application fee/ $25 annual renewal. No special requirements for eligibility as the plates are available to everyone.
$17 goes to charities supported by the Grand Lodge. The license plate may be personalized with maximum of 7 characters
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
The Grand Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s One Day Class Saturday, March 31 2018 El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium 552 N. 40th St. Phoenix, Arizona Candidates will receive the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason Degree in a Single Day! All ritual work will be in accordance with Arizona Masonic Code and overseen by the Grand Lecturer The Entered Apprentice Degree will be conferred by the Shrine Ritual Team
The Fellowcraft Degree will be conferred by the Scottish Rite Ritual Team
The Master Mason Degree will be conferred by York Rite Ritual Team
Additional details and Dispensation form available at www.azmasons.org
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
I assumed!!! Conducting a proper, thorough, and complete background check on your prospective applicant is one of the most important tasks a Brother can do to safeguard not only his lodge, but the fraternity as a whole. Meeting with the applicant as well as his family is important, not only to answer any questions he or his family may have, but you can learn quite a lot from the face to face meeting. Does the significant other show an interest in the Masonic Fraternity and willingness to support the applicant? If not, will the brother stay interested for the long haul? Does the applicant appear to have the financial means to support the Masonic journey? There are not many brethren can say that they are just a member of the Blue Lodge and only pay annual dues to one lodge. Most importantly and I will transition to a story that happened recently to me. You must, and I repeat must, ask the all-important question, do you believe in a supreme being. It is not for us to decide if the Supreme Being the applicant expresses belief in is the right one, but the question must be asked. Over the last few months I have been approached by a co-worker who expressed a desire to join our fraternity upon retirement. He would ask me about the various appendant bodies and the mission of each. As I explained what I know of each and how they fit into the community/society and all stem from the root, the Blue Lodge. In depth conversations were had with this individual and I would explain how our Blue Lodge ritual, while not a religion, is based off religious beliefs and principals. Having worked with this side by side with this individual for many years in the urban war we call Police work and gone through many good as well as bad times with him throughout our careers, I assumed! Yes, I said I assumed. How can one go through a 30 year career in this field and not believe in a Higher Power. Not once during my explanations of our ritual, our mission, did I ask if he believed in a Supreme Being, nor did he say he did not until it came time for the petition, I just assumed As I was helping him complete the application and we got to the question regarding belief in a supreme being, he informed me that he did not believe in God. He stated he did not consider himself an atheist, but rather did not believe in either Heaven/Hell. He explained his reasoning with me and they do not need to be mentioned here, but my point is, I have worked alongside this individual for many years on the urban battlefield and I just assumed. Not that this induvial, was on a crash course to infiltrate our fraternity and bring dis-credit to it by his non belief, it is very important that each Brother doing a back-ground investigation on an applicant ask the question. Anyone that approached me that I did not know this would be one of my first questions that I would ask, why was this one different, because we were brothers in a different fraternity and I assumed. We are each gatekeepers for our fraternity, and it all starts with the background check. Do your part and ask the question. Fraternally & Respectfully D. Mandrell Junior Grand Steward 2017-18 Grand Lodge F. & A.M. of Arizona
February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
Summary of decisions/actions from January 20, 2018 Grand Trustees Meeting 1 – Approve purchase of new Hardware and software for Grand Secretary/Grand Treasurer office. To increase needed capabilities for the office. 2 – Transfer five (5%) per cent US bond exposure to five (5%) per cent International exposure on the recommendation of the Grand Investment Committee and Grand Financial Advisor. 3 – Approve request from Central Arizona Lodge No. 14 for an additional expenditure of fifty thousand ($50,000.00) for their new building in Cottonwood, AZ. 4 – Approve distribution of funds from the Arizona Masonic License Plate program to the Arizona Masonic Student Program (Children at Risk) and Masonic Charities of Arizona. 5 – Ratify engagement contract for Atty. John Standifer to pursue tax exemption on 2801 W. Northern Property.
Grand Lodge Offices
Effective immediately, the Grand Secretary’s office will be closed on Friday, and the hours of operation will be from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. Also, please take note of the change of address. All correspondence is to be addressed to: PO Box 35687 Phoenix, Arizona 85069-5692 The address change is being made as our mailbox is outside, not visible to office personnel, and when delivered on the weekend, is available to anyone who would happen to open the mailbox. February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
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136th ANNUAL COMMUNICATION Grand Lodge of Arizona F. & A.M Lodge Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino May 31st to June 2, 2018 <<Download Printable Registration>> <<Info Ladies Program>> <<Click Here for Hotel Reservations>>
LADIES PROGRAM Thursday May 31st 10:00AM -4:00 PM Ladies Welcome Desk Greeting/Registration
Friday, June 1st 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Ladies Welcome Desk Greeting/Registration 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM Calligraphy Class 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Ladies Luncheon (Reservations Required) With a Presentation On Nutrition and Health 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM Walk/Shuttle to Nearby Shopping Mall
Saturday, June 2nd 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Flower Arrangements Class 10:30 - 12:00 Open Session attendance (Optional) or Walk/Shuttle to Nearby Shopping Mall February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org
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February 2018 Arizona Masonry Magazine
www.AzMasons.org