Shown in the picture in the upper left is a portion of the several Officers and Membe rs of the Lodges in Masonic District "A" and a few neighboring Lodges who participated in the annual wreath placing ceremony of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania at the Bro. George Washington at Prayer Statue, Freed oms Foundation, Valley Forge, on Washington's Birthday, Saturday, February 22, 1969. Photo above shows Bro. William H. Reese, Worshipful Master of Michael Arnold Lodge, No. 636 (left) and Bro. James W. Fry, District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District " A" about to place the Grand Lodge w1·eath at the foot of the statue. A view of the several hundred that braved the snow-covered grounds to witness the ceremonies is shown in the photo at the left.
On Reading Masonic Books
When a brother reaches the point in his Masonic study where he desires to read Masonic literature, he not only adds to his own knowledge, he is then in position to en lighten others.
Thousands of books and pamphlets have been written on the phil osophy, history, and symbolism of Freemasonry. However, the brother who purchas es some e ight or ten basic books and reads them over and over again, can acquire a good working knowledge of Masonry.
Some of the finest examples of the Eng li sh language are found in Masonic wr itin gs. By reading such books, one can improve in the art of writing and speak in g.
One is n ever a lone with Masonic books. They serve as do good fri end s.
THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON
Distribution Office
MASONIC HOMES
Elizabethtown, Po. 17022
Send FORM 3579 to Above Address)
Masonic Temple; Philadelphia Has Guided Tours for Public
Guided tours are c onducted th rough t h e Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, headquarters of the Grand Lodge F & A M. of Pennsylvania, on weekdays at 10:00 a .m. , 11:00 a.m 1:00 p.m., 2: 00 p m. and 3: 00 p.m.
On Saturdays there are g uide d tours at 10:00 a.m and 11:00 a m.
The Temp le is closed on lega l holidays and on Saturdays during July and August.
Th e re is sanctuary in Freemasonry. In the privacy of the inner fellowship of the fraternity, a Brother will often 'lind rest for his heart and protection from the bruises of the world. That man is no true Freemason in whose nature the weary may not lind rest and the weak lind protection.
Earliest Use Of the Term Free Mason
T h e term Goban Saor was in common usage among the anc ient preRoman Gaelic-speaking peoples who occupied not only England, Scotland and Ireland, but also l arge tracts of territory in what is now France, Germany a nd Spain. The pure and literal translation of Goban Saar is Free Mason.
This term is interwoven into ancient Gaelic literature, and it is quite familiar to all present-day Gae lic speakers and to students of ancient cult ures a n d folklore. T h ere is no doubt that the ancient peoples loo k ed upon the Goban Saar as the personification of all that human skill and intelli gence might hope to attain. His great works were prominent landmarks in a ll countries to sust ain this feel in g of awe It was natural that legend and the professional story-tell ers embellished his n ame until his fantastic adventures easily rivaled tho s e 1001 tales of the Arabian Nights Co g lic leis an Goban Sa or (as ski ll ed as the Free Mason) is a common Gaelic e xpression . On e story tells how he mad e a. :· w hi ch p re 1'"' rved the Tuatha de Danann .-.. l..-1 cre. The pre-historic Tuatha de Da n a , e por tedly arr i ved in Irelan d a,., 1 a nd around 3,000 to 3 ,50 1 P nd a lso cr edits the GobaP v 11' '-:ling the p re-histor ic ro•l nc ·' ,_
The Tabernacle, located between Wesley and Asbury Avenues and Fifth and Sixth Streets, Ocean City, New Jersey, where Bro. John K. Young, R. W Gra nd Master, will address the Ocean City Masonic Club on Tuesday evening, August 26, 1969, on the occasion of its "Grand Masters Night." All Masons are invited
Grand Master to Address Masons
In Tabernacle at Ocean City, N.J.
1976 Committee Stays Active; Seeks Ideas
The 1976 Committee of Grand Lodge w ill me et on June 4, 1969, at the Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown, Bro. Theodore K. Warner, Jr., General Chairman of the Committee, reported t h at every possible effort will be made to assure Freemasonry adequate programs during the 2 00th Anniversary Declaration of Independen ce in 19 76. He added:
"We welcom e s u ggest ions from a ll Brethren. This is an important celebration and we n eed the coll ective t hinking of a ll the Brethren." Suggestions and ideas s hould be sent to the Chairman, 1976 Committe e, Gra nd M ast e r's Offic e, M asonic Temp l e, On e North Broa d Stre et, Phi ladelphia, P a 19107.
Bro John K. Young, R. W. Grand Master of Masons in Pennsyl vania, wi ll address the Ocean City Masonic C lub in the Ocean C ity Tabernacle, Ocean City, N.J., at 8 p.m., Tuesday, August 26, 1969.
Bro. Harold S. McGear, a member and Past Master of Mount Horeb Lodge, No. 528, Ph iladelphia, is president of the Ocean City Masonic Club.
He has extended an in v itation to a ll Pennsylvania Masons to attend "Grand Masters Night" of the organization on Augu st 26 . It is expected that many Grand Lodge Officers from Pennsylvania and New Jersey will attend the meeting.
Freemasonry is a life to be l ived, not a formality to be perfunct
Cornerstones
Temple, Lodge Rooms
Recently Dedicated
Grand Lodge held three Special Communications during the past three months to dedicate Lodge Rooms in new Masonic Temples. Two of the Spec ia l Communications included cornerstone placing ceremontes.
On March 15, Grand Lodge placed the cornerstone and dedicated the Lodge Room at the new Masonic Templ e at Birdsboro, Berks County. It is the home of Union Lodge, No. 479. On April 19, Grand Lodge dedicated the Masonic Temple at Sandy Lake Mercer County. It is the new home of Lake Lodge, No. 434. Following t h e dedication, the Grand Master and those accompanying him were received at a Special Meeting of Lodge No. 434 for the purpose of observing the 100th Anniversary of the Lodge.
On April 26, Grand Lodge placed the cornerstone and dedicated the Lodge Room at the Riverside Masonic Temple, Wrightsv ill e, York County. It is th e new home of Rivers ide Lodge, No. 503.
Bro. Kenneth W. Nebinger
Now Local Secretary for Quatuor Coronati Lodge
Bro. Kenneth W. Nebinger, Co-District C hairman of the 2nd M a sonic District, is the Local Secretary for Pennsylvania for Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, "The Premier Lodge of Masonic Research ," w ith headquarters at 27 Great Queen S treet, London -opposite Freemasons' Hall. Office r s and Members of Pennsy lvania Lodg
THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON
Bro. Ackermann Appointed M.S.A. Field Agent
For Army General Hospital at Valley Forge
Bro Everett F. Ackermann , Past Master of Phoenix Lodge, No. 75, Pho enixville, Pa., h as b een appointed Masonic Service Assoc ia tion Field Agent for the United States Army General Hos pital at Valley Forge, P a. Bro. Ackermann is a retired United States Army colonel ; a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, V a lley of Reading ; Rajah Shrine, Reading; a nd Valley Forge Chapter Nationa l Sojourners.
Tra inin g for Bro. Ackermann was provided by Bro. P a ul Stewart, the first Field Agent in P e nn sylvan ia, now servin g in Veterans Administration and Service Hospitals in Phila delphia. He a lso received in stru ctions from Bro. John Cole at Walter R eed Army Hospital , Washington, D C.
The Army Hospit a l at Valley Forge offers Pennsylva nia M asons an opportunity to assist hundred s of Viet N am cas u a lties fighting their way back to health.
'68 'Guest Fund'
The Guest Fund coll ection, which end ed Marc h 15 , 1969, reached a new record of $3 15,419.00.
Bro. John K. Young, R. W. Gr a nd Master, t h a nked Pennsylva nia Masons for their generou s co ntributions. He added:
"The collection r epr esents a n inof $33,419 over l ast year.
I am very proud and thankful that 40,84 3 Brethren, or approximately 16 of _our membe rship, sent condrrect to the Masonic Home s in the enve lo pes provided m Lodge Notices
"I would estima t e tha t another 15,000 Brethren, or ap proxima tely 6 p e r cent of our membershi p, Go ntribut ed thro u gh Lodge collections at meetings and banquets.
"This m ean s th at approx ima tel y 22 per cent of our membership, or 55,843 Brethren , contributed to t he Gues t Fund.
. "This also means that the a ve rage gtft was $ 5.75 per contributor."
Bro. Young pointe d out th a t the Guest F un d b udget at the Ma sonic Homes is now a pproximately $3 14,000 a year, a nd, with rising costs, w ill h ave to be m ate ria lly increased next year
He added:
"This is the money that makes our Masonic Homes a litt le sp ec ia l. It ofe r s our G u est s a n opportunity to s h are in the riches of worldly pleas ur es.
"It is o ur way of thinking of others."
Bro. Everett F Ackermann
YOUR ADDRESS WE NEED CORRECT
Copies of The Pennsylvania Freemason returned by the Post Offices, doe to incorrect addresses, cost ten cents each. You can help save us this expense by notifying your Lodge Secretary, immediately when you change your address.
The M.S.A. prog ram in Pennsylvania is financed by Grand Lodge. Masons interested in assisting e ither Bro. Ackerma nn or Bro. Stewart s hould contact Bro. William C . Edmunds, Chief Field Officer, Ma sonic Service Asso ciation, 724 Ninth Street, N.W., Washington , D C. 20001.
Bro. John K. Young, R. W. Grand M aster, has urged volunt eers to assist in the important work. He a dded:
'This is our opportunity to assist those who are in n eed of our assistance "
Homes' Guest is Outstanding Student
Thomas Dawson IV, a Guest a t the Masonic Homes a nd a se nior a t Elizab et htown High School, h as received ma ny honor s for his outstanding scholastic work.
He was e l ect ed president of the Senior Class at the high school.
In F ebrua r y, he was honored by being se lect e d to a tte nd "A Presidential Classroom for Young Ame rican s" at W as hington, D.C Following the trip, h e described his week in Washington as "the g reatest week in my life "
In March, Tom was recognized in "Wh o's Who Among American High School Students." This is an outstanding ac hi evement s ince less than three per cent of gradua ting seniors in the country are selected for his honor. It a lso has been officially a nnounced that Tom h as be en a cce pt ed by Franklin & M ars h a ll College at L a n cast er. H e w ill start his freshman year in Sep- , tember.
Thomas Dawson IV
From Our Grand Secretary's Office
Quarterly Communication - March 5, 1969
M a:c h Quar:e rl y Communic a tion, as .u su a l, was preceded by two days of mtere stmg meetmgs with various Committees and the District De ut Grand M ast e r s p y
The a t the Quarterly Communication was pleasingly la r ge. Among the VISitors were Bro. Vincent Burgess, Worshipful Master of Hanibol Lodge, 22 4, in Bermuda, and Bro. Martyn Gay, of St. Paul Lodge, No. 6400, Bnstol, Engl a nd. Com mittee Reports
. The Comm ittee reports w ere mformatlve a nd e nlightenin g. Th e proposed ame ndm e nts to the By-Laws s ubmitte d by 16 Lodge s were approved a nd ac tion on one was deferred as recom mended by the on By-Laws.
The report of Committee on Finance the fir st fi sca l quarter showed Rec eipts of $2,028,690 and Expenditures of $ 1,787,5 80. Resolutions pr esent e d by Committee were approved a uthonzmg a lterations to the Nurses Home, and the Brown Cottage at the M_asomc Homes, and the super vision of t?ts by an outside firm; a donation m c?nnection w ith enl arging the sewage dts po sa l p l a nt on the Masonic Homes gro und s; clarifying the u se of the incom e fr o m the Allegheny County Memoria l Fund; the sa le of Grand int erest in some property in D auphm County; and the remission of dues of a Life M e mber who is confin e d in a s t ate institution.
One of t h e mo st import a nt reports pre sented was a review b y Bro. Orv ill e Ktmme l, R. W. Se nior Grand W arde n and C?a irman of the Hospital SubCommittee for the Co mmittee on M asonic H omes on a Fea sibility Study prepared by the firm of Wood and Tower concerning the Mas onic Hom es a t Eli zab e thtow n. The Hospita l at the Hom es is now crowded and as a rea waiting list for Hospita l Guest s IS now in effect. Fac ilities are s till ava ilable, howeve r, for a mbul a tory Gue st s . A very car e ful investigation must be made by the L odges and Dist rict D e puti es to ascertain if th eir n ew Applicant s require assignment to the Ho spita l at th e Homes upon their a dmission .
1968 Membership Statistics
. pr e limin a ry Memb er ship s tatistic s sh ow a net loss for 1968 of 2, 006. Whil e 5, 3 17 were initia t e d , death took 6, 162 Members, bringing our t ota l down to 247,364.
J:? e t ailed reports concerning the va nous ac ti vities in connection with the a nnua l Gr a nd M as ters ' Conference were pr esente d.
Three Special Communicat io ns of Grand Lod ge h ave been h e ld since the March Quarterly Co m mu nication On
3Jn Jtiltmoriam
BRO. WILLIS R. MICHAEL
15, Union Lodge, No. 479, at Btrdsboro ha d its new Lodge Room dedicated ; a simil a r ceremon y occurred on April 19 for Lake Lodge , No. 434, at Sandy Lake; a nd Riverside Lod ge No. 50 3's new Lodge Room at v ille was d edica ted on April 26. These three Lodges a r e highly commended for their outstanding new quarters
The June Communication w ill be held at th e Masonic Homes a t Elizabethtown on June 4 , 1969. This is an excellent opportunity for all of u s to learn mor e about how our Homes operate.
Spartan Lodge, No. 372, in Sp a rtansburg, Crawford County, is the smallest Lodge in our Jurisdiction. During the past year it initiated four new Members, and h ad no deaths, suspensions or resi gnations, a nd ended the year with 54 Memb er s, a n increase of a lmost 10 percent. D espite its small membership 1ts yearly Receipts exceeded its Expenditures. How wo nderful it would be if a ll our 610 Lodges could match these ac hievement s
Bro. Jo e May, a M e mber of Apollo Lodge, No. 386, for 45 year s, a nd a former boxing and baseball star, is still r u gged a t age 90. Fie h as a k een interest in sports a nd drives ·his own car. During the early 1900's, Joe p l ayed semi-prof essional baseball and his r in g career included 52 fight s in the lightweight division.
Concordia Lodg e, No. 67 , is se ttihg a new a ll-time record this year. Thirtysix of its M e mbers will receive their Grand L odge Fifty Year M asoni c Se rv ice Emblems in 1969. We sinc erely hope each of them will en joy wear in g t heir Embl e m for many years .
"Smiles" is a long word - th ere is a mil e b e twee n its first and last letter. Keep s miling.
Fraternally, Ashby B Paul
R. W. Grand Secretary
Bro. Willis R. Michael , Grand Steward and member of the Committee on Masonic Homes, passed away on March 25, 1969, a fter a brief illn ess. Bro. Michael lived in York, where he was a M ember of York Lodge No. 266 and served as its Worshipful M ast er in 1932. He was a n a rdent member and officer of the York Rite Bodie s, including Howell Royal Arch Chapter No. 199, York Council No. 21, and York Commande ry No. 21. In Scottis h Rite Masonry, he was a member o f the Valley of H a rrisburg, h e served as Most Wise M aster m 1941-42. He was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector Genera l , 33°, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council , on S eptember 23, 1942 , at Boston, Mass . Bro. Michae l ser_ved as Grand Steward of Grand Lodge for six Grand M ast e rs , being first appointed in 1954. He was a ppointed to the Committee on M asonic Hom es on M arch 25 1960 and served as a Member of its tive committee until h is death . He also was a member of the Red Cross of Constantine; Allie d D egr ees; Roya l Order of Scotl a nd· Society of Rosicruci a n s ; Zembo Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and National L eagu e of Mas onic Clubs.
Bro. Mic h ae l was kno wn throughout the world for his hobby, watch a nd clock collecting
Bro. H. Kendig, Jr. (right) who served as Worsh!pful of St. John's Lodge, N o. 435 m 1918, 1s shown receiving a Past Master:>s Plaque from Bro. Harold Angst a dt, Worsh1pful Master, on the evening be conferred a Mast er Mason's Deg ree. Bro Herbert H. Blanke nbiller, who served as Worshipful in is shown on the left. Bro. Dav1d H. Ke nd1g, ill, shown in the rear served as Master in 1950, bee? appomted a F loor Office r by Bro Blanke n bdler.
Need for Additional Accommodations at Homes' Hospital Prompts Guidelines
For Admission of Approved Applicants
The limited Eliza bethtown Guests.
number of ava ilable hospit a l beds at the Masonic Homes at has caused a delay m ca llin g for approved non-ambu lator y
Bro. Orville Kimmel , R. W. Senior Grand Warden and Chairman of the Hospital Committee of the Committee on Masonic Homes, explained:
"For the greater part of the past ten years, the hospital h as been occupied a t more than 100 per cent capacity.
" The present legal c a pacity of the hos pital is 265 . We must reserve 27 beds for temporary care for our Cottage Guests. This leaves 238 beds for the care of perma nent hospital Guests " He pointed out that preliminary drawings were made for a possible addition to the hospital. He added:
"When estimated costs, not only of bui lding, but also the additional cost o f maintenance, were con s idered , it was d eemed w ise and prudent to have a fe asibility study made by a competent firm
"The firm of Wood and Tower was e mployed to make the study. We ha ve now r eviewed the r esu l ts of the s tudy with the firm."
Quotes from Wood a nd Tower's report included s uch as:
"The finest care given in a ny hospital I have ever visited, but there is a problem of overcrowding, which demands our immediate attention."
The st udy revealed there is considerab le change in the age and l ength of s tay of the Guests. It s ho wed that Guests enter the Homes later in life a nd their stay is much shorter. The report continued:
"Since 1960, the number of applicants to the M aso nic Homes have
g r eatly increased The total yearly admissions have consequently shown an i ncrease proportionate to the increas e in app lica tions.
"During the past 17 yea r s, the period covered by the study, the total number of Guests has increased from an average of 515 in 1950 to 710 in 1967."
Bro. Kimmel said the Committee on M as onic Homes gave seriou s consideration to building a new wing onto the hos pital. H e added : "This, or any other m a jor addition, would necessitate a capital fund drive."
He reported the Committee decided to con vert the pres ent Nurses Home to provide for fifty-eight additional Guest s, at a cost of $ 125,000. Employees, many now housed in the Nurses Home, w ill b e moved to theW. H a rry Brown Cottage , w h ere it will cost an estimated $10 5 ,000 for rennovations.
Bro. Kimmel a lso pointed out that in the future the following guidelines w ill be considered by the Committee on M aso nic Homes in administerin g the a dmission policy:
1. Cottage Gue s ts be m amtained at present capacity.
2. Direct admissions to the Hospital be limited "lt all times
Bro. James M. Aiken, Past Master, former T r easurer for s ix yea r s and current Secretary of Coraopolis Lodge, No. 674, since February 1946, s shown r eceiving engraved plaque fro m Bro. Wesley E Smith, Sr., Past Master, on the occasion of the annual banqu et when his Lodge honored him for his man y years of devoted service to his church, his community and Freemas onry.
to the capacity available for such Guests, after provis ion for Cottage Gues ts and proper operation.
3. Quotas be establis hed for each type (Cottage and Hospital) , these quotas being adjus ted monthly in advance, taking into account the advice of the Executive Director of the Ma sonic Homes; the s pace expected to be available and approved admiss ions not y et in residence.
4. R equirement s for medical scre ening be ampli fied and enforced by refu sing to admit Cottage Guests who se physical condition w ill not p e rmit them to live in the Cottage on admission. To become a C o ttage Guest, it is essential that an applicant be able to dress, use kn i fe and fork , take care of his own needs, walk and use sta irs
5. Before seri ously considering a n applicant , it should be established whether he or she will be a Cottage or Hospital Guest.
Th e ap proximate $230,000 needed to make the changes to the Nurses Home and the B rown C ottage has been approved by th e C o mmittee on Fin a nce and G ra nd Lodge. The money w ill b e taken from the Current Funds of Gr and Lod ge Bro. Kim mel concluded :
"While this is not the complete a n swer to the f uture of maintaining adequ ate facilities for our Guests, it is obviousl y prudent to re view our tota l H omes opera tion periodically and proceed according to need, rath er tha n to ve ntu re into the unknown with a M asonic H omes facility whos e cost of operation m igh t b e far beyond our fond est expectation."
June Quarterly to be Held at Homes
Th e Jun e Qu a rterl y Communi cat ion will be held at t h e M ason ic H omes at Eliz abethto wn at 7 p.m , Wednesday, June 4, 1969.
Bro J oh n K. You ng, R. W. Grand Master, h as urged M asons to make a special effo r t to attend the Communicat ion. H e pointed out:
" It is n o t necessary to be a L odge O ffice r o r P ast Master to attend Every M ason should make a special effort to atte nd as m any Com munications of Grand L odge as po ss ibl e.
"I personally urge Br ethren to arrive at the H omes in the morning or early afternoon. I n th is way, you w ill have an opport uni ty to to u r the Homes and the P a tto n Masonic School.
"T his is a beautif ul time of the year. I wi ll be looking for a large attenda nce."
The Grand Master reported that Brethr en a r r iving in t he morning or a ftern oon can find a mple eating facilities in th e Elizabeth town area.
T he Communication will be held in the G eor ge H D eike A uditorium, w hich has seating facilities for approximately 600.
Masonic Blood Donor Club Providing Blood for Homes
The M asonic Bloo d D onor C lub of South eastern Pennsylvania is now providing blood t hat is needed by Gu ests at the M asonic Homes at E lizabethtow n.
Bro W ayne W. Thompson , Ch airm an o f the Bl ood D onor C lub, rece ntl y w r o te the follow ing to the Operations Secretary of the C lub:
"Kindl y notify the Un ive rsity of P enn syl van ia B ank to send from our c r edit supply t we nt y -s ix pints to the L ancast er G ene r a l Hospital.
"Sometime in the future there may be other hospita l lists, details of wh ich are b e ing wor ked out by our E lizabethtown friends with several other h ospitals they have made use of si nc e J anua r y, 1968."
T here a re now more than 1,200 Memb e r s in the M asonic Blood D onor Club. B ro Th ompson said that Masons may obtain infor mati on concerning the Club by dropping him a card : Wayn e W. T hompson, 620 W ashington L ane, Jenkintown, P a. 19046, or by calling ( Ar ea 2 15 ) MA 7 -6676. J ust d ial the Area C ode and then "MA SON 76."
Freemasonry has survived because it is a continuing unfinished story of builders seekin g through the cardinal virtues and common endeavors to make life a nobler expression of the brotherhood of m an.
Linn Appointed to Masonic Homes Bro. Robert H. Medical Stall at
Br o R obert H. Linn, a member of W arren L odge, No. 310 C ollegevill e, has been appointed an associate medical director at the M aso ni c H omes at E lizabethtown.
B ro Linn assumed his new position on March 31. H is family will move to E lizabethtown in the near future.
H e graduated from S tau nton Military A cademy, 1932; University of P ennsylvania, 193 7; and H ahnemann
Medical C ollege, P hiladelphia , 1941. H e interned at H ahnemann
I n 1942 he joined the U.S. A rmy, went to England; was in the i'nvasion of Afric a with t h e First Armored Division; was in the invasion of Italy at Salerno in 1943; and was in the capture of Naples, Anzio Beachhead, R ome, Fl orence and Milan H e was wounded in the right leg during the war and was discharged as a captain in 194 5.
H e took a residency in medicine in 1946 at St. L uke's and C h il dre n's H ospitals and in 1947 took a year of graduate work in internal medicine at the G raduate School of Medicine at the Uni ve r sity of P ennsylvania
F or t he past 22 years, B ro. Linn has been in general practice with a group in P ottstown.
A Mason, it was said, in 1734-35, " is to be a Man of Benevolence and Charity, not sitting down contented while his Fellow Creatures, but much more his Brethre n, are in Want, when it i s in his Power ( without prejudicing himself or Family) to reliev e them. " -WILLIAM SMITH
A Pocket Companion for Free - Masons, 1935
Shown above are se venteen Past Masters of Milnor Lodge , No. 287, Pittsburgh, who participated in impress ive Degree Work at a Stated Meeting honoring the Past Masters of Lodge recently. Bro John L. McCain, second from le ft in rear row, s presently servmg as D is trict Deputy Grand Master of the 55th Mason ic District.
Main entrance to th e Recreation Build ing at the Hom es that includes the spacious ai r-con-
Bro. Robert H. Linn, M.D
Bro. Paul S. Shank Retires, Ending
Over Fifty Years' Service at Homes
Bro. P au l S. Sh a nk Supe rintendent of the M ason ic Homes at Elizabethtow n , Pennsy l vania, retired o n M a rch 3 1, 1969 after ma n y years of service. Bro. and Mrs Shank a nd their families were guests at a testimoni a l dinner on March 2 8 at the M aso nic H omes. Guests , G ra nd Lod ge Officer s a nd M embers of the Committee on M asonic Homes extended t h eir be st wishes to t he Sh a nks.
In 191 3 , as a boy o f 13, Bro. Sha nk s t a rted to work a t the Homes on a p a rt-time b asis. Afte r those early years of summ er e mpl oym ent h e served on a full-t ime basis on the f arms, l a ndscape and Homes Departments. H e was a ppointed Chief Steward at the Hom es and served in this capacity for m an y years until 1961 when he was e lected Superintendent.
The re tiri ng Superintendent a nd hi s w ife, Dora Kaylor Shank, h ave moved to t h e ir new home a t 30 School L a ne, Eli zabethtow n.
Grand Master is Speaker At Patton Commencement; Openings in New Classes
Bro Joh n K. Young, R. W. Gra nd M aster, will give the Comme nceme nt Address at the P at ton Masonic School graduation a t 11 a .m Saturday, May 31, 1969, in the D eike Auditorium of the M asonic Home s a t Elizabethtown Th ere are 12 students in the graduating class. Seven of them p la n to go to college nex t fall
Mas on s a nd friend s are invited to attend the graduation
It was announced that D a le Krasley, a sophomore at Patton, ha s been el ected tr easurer of the Eastern District of the State Library Associ ati on It was also a nnounced that Michael Klin g le r , a grad u a tin g senior , has been awarded a $2 00 yearly scholarship for a d vanced trade education from the American Society of Tool M a nufacturing and Engi nee r s He will attend the P e nnsyl vania State Univer s ity's Cent e r at York, Pa
Dr John W. Kopp, Superintendent of Patton , said applications a r e now b e ing accepted for the S ept ember t erm. The r e are openings for 18 in the fre s hm an class a nd a l imited number of openings in the upp er grades.
D et a il e d information on P at t on School ma y b e obtained b y w riting to D r. Kopp at P atto n M aso nic School fo r B oys, Eli zabethto wn, P a 17022.
Freemasonry - A Way of Life
The Fraternity of Free a nd Accepted Ma sons is the oldest, la rgest a nd mo st w ide ly known f raternal organization in the world.
Volumes have been written a bout it. Yet, to m a ny, Freemasonr y remains a mystery
Thi s folder is an atte mpt to relate a f ew facts that wi ll be informati ve to a ll a nd to correc t a few misconceptions.
History
Some histori ans trace Freemasonry to th e Tenth Century, B.C., du ring the buildin g of Kin g Solomon's Templ e Records reveal tha t Freemasonry was introduced into Engl a nd in 674 A.D.
Fr eemasonr y is directly descended from associat ion s of operative masons, the cathedra l build ers of the Middle Ag es, who t r ave led through Europe e mploy in g th e secrets a nd skills of their crafts.
There are more tha n 600 Symbolic Lod ges in the Jurisdiction of P e nn sylva nia, with a membe r s hip of ap prox imate l y 250,000.
Membership
M ember s hip is limited to ad ul t m a les who c a n m eet the recognized qualifications a nd standards of ch arac ter and reputation.
A man becomes a Freemason through his own volition No one is asked to join its r a nk s When a man seeks admission to a S y mbolic Lodge,
the world to behold . Its rules and regulation s are open for inspection. It is true that we have modes of recognition, rites and ceremonies w ith which the world is not a cqu a inted. In this regard, a ll human groups and institutions ha ve private affairs. For instance, famili es have discussions on subjects which do not, a nd sh o uld not, conce rn their neighbors.
Freemasonry and Religion
Freemasonry is not a religion even thou gh it is r elig ious in character. It does not pretend to t ake the place of religion nor serve as a substitute for the religious beliefs of its m e mbers
Freemasonry a cce pts men, found to be worthy, rega rdless of religious convictions. An essential requirement is a b e lie f in th e existence of a Supreme B e i ng
What is Freemasonry?
Bro Sh ank is a Member of Abrah am C Treichler Lodge , No. 682, Scottis h Rite Bodie s, Valleys of Lancaster a nd Harris bur g, a nd Zembo T emple.
Wh en aske d abo ut his r et ire m e nt plans, Bro Shank said he p la nne d to "jus t loaf" and would prob a bly trav e l to Florida for the winter.
The d uties of Bro. Shank ha ve been taken ov er by the office of the E xecutive Director.
In t h e 17th Cent ury, when cathedral building was on the decline , many g uild s of ston e-masons, known as "Ope rativ e M aso n s" or "Free Masons," s tarted to a cc ept as members those who were not m ember s of the mason s' craft, callin g them " Speculative M asons" or "Accept ed Masons."
It was fr o m these groups, comprised most ly of "Adopted or Accepted Masons," th a t Symbolic M asonr y or Freemasonry, as we know it toda y, h a d its beginning.
Grand Lodges
In 1717, fou r Lodges of Freemasons meeti n g in L o ndon , En gland, fo rme d the fir s t Grand Lod ge
This first Grand Lodge ch a rtered Symbo lic Lodges and Prov inci a l Gr and Lodges in many countries, including t he United Sta t es Today, there a r e more than 150 Grand Lodges in free countries of the wor ld with a memb e r s hip of m ore than 6,000 ,000.
The Grand L odge is the administrative authority in its t erritory, known as Ju r isdiction
In the United States, there are 49 Grand Lodges They include 48 states and the Distric t of Columbi a . H a waii is under the Gr and L odge of C alifo rnia, a nd Al as k a, the Grand Lodge of Washington.
Symbolic Lodges
The basic unit of a ll Grand Lodge s is the Symbolic Lodge, or "Blue Lodge," as it is com m o nl y known.
It is the S y mboli c Lodge that issu es peti tions for membersh ip, acts on p etit ions a nd confers the t hree Symboli c D e g rees, known as th e Ent e r e d Apprentice, Fellow Cra ft an d M aster M ason D egrees .
it is of hi s own fre e w ill and acco r d. The c hoice is his.
One o f the c ustoms of Freemasonry is not to solic it members. One seekin g a dmi ssion mu st have a des ire a nd mus t request a p e ti t ion form from ope whom h e b e lieves to be a Mas on .
The petitioner mu st b e rec6 mme nded by two members of a Masonic Lod ge a nd p a ss a una nimous ball ot.
The petitioner must be 21 yea r s o f age, mentally and physically competent, o f good mora l character, a nd b e lieve in the exist e nc e of a Supreme Being.
Masonic Secrecy
Contrary to what many believe , Fr eemasonry is not a secret society. It does not hide its existence of its m e mbers hip . There h as been no attempt to concea l the purpose, aims and prin ciples of Freemas onry It is a n organi zation formed a nd exist ing on th e broad b asis of Brotherl y Love, Re li ef a nd Truth. Its constitutions are published for 7
Freemasonry is not an ins uran ce or bene fici a l society. It is not organized for profit. H owever, the charity and services rendered are beyond measure. It teaches monotheism. It t eaches the Golden Rule. It s eeks to make good men better through its firm belief in the Fatherh ood of God, the Brotherhoo d of M a n a nd the Immortality of the Soul.
Tenets of Freemasonry
The Ten et s of Freemasonry are ethical principl es that are acceptable to a ll good men. It teaches tolerance toward all mankind.
It is known throughout the wo rld, even behind the Iron Curta in where Ma sonr y cannot exist.
F ree masonry proudly procl a ims that it consists of men bound toge ther b y bonds of Brotherly Love and Affection . It dictates to no m an as to his b eliefs, either r e ligious or secular. It seeks no advantage for its members throu gh bu sin ess or politics.
Freema son ry is not a forum for discussions on partisan a ff a irs.
A Way of Life
Freem asonry is kindness in the home, honesty in business, courtesy in society, fairn ess in wo rk, pity and concern for the unfortunate, resi stance toward ev il, help for the weak , forgiveness for the p e nitent, l ove for one another, and above a ll, r everence and love for God
Fr ee masonry is many things, but m ost of all:
FREEMA SONRY IS A WAY OF LIFE.
The article above has been printed in an att r ac tive t hree-color folder and will be mailed upon request. Write to C ommittee on Masoni c C ulture, M a sonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107.
Bro. Edgar C. VanDyke, Past Master of Pennsylv ania Lodge, N o. 380 Philadelphia is shown being co ngratulated by Bro T heodore K. Warner Jr ., Dis trict Deputy Gran d Master D: st r ict " J ," during the Past Masters' Night proc.cedings hon?ring Bro VanDyke for excepti ona l Maso mc service.
