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Post by windtimber on Jul 7, 2006 14:38:07 GMT
William Ellery, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock Joseph Howes, William Hooper, Robert Treat Paine, Richard Stockton, George Walton, and William Whipple. When you try to recite the list of signers of the Declaration of Independence, the one you can't remember says a lot about your personality. Yes, there were 56 signers and every single one took the same huge risks and faced the same penalties for high treason had the revolution failed. Since this is a Masonic discussion board I only listed the 9 signers who I understood were positively known to be Freemasons. See, www.bessel.org/foundmas.htm and bessel.org/declmas.htm. If my information is faulty, sorry. I rather thought the main thrust of my post was the next to the last line..."Would you and I have the strength of belief and character to act upon our principles for the same terrible price?"
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Post by windtimber on Jul 5, 2006 18:48:04 GMT
Every freemason should feel ashamed about Guantanamo. I am a proud fan of the US, I never believed that such a thing could happen the US. I thought, the Soviet Union and their Gulag, ok. But not the US. The U.S. system is full of checks and balances and sometimes runs maddingly slow. Regarding Guantanamo please note Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, decided June 29, 2006, by the U.S. Supreme Court. See, www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/05pdf/05-184.pdf. The opinion is very long but basically rules that the President overstepped his authority in creating special tribunals to operate outside the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Geneva Conventions. Justice John Paul Stevens, writing the majority opinion, made it clear that the majority assumed Salim Ahmed Hamdan is dangerous, and that at this point, there is no question about the government’s power to detain him "for the duration of active hostilities." Stevens also stated that when it comes to trying and punishing Hamdan, "the executive [branch] is bound to comply with the rule of law that prevails in this jurisdiction." Whether this decision results in closure of the Guantanamo detention facility or not remains to be seen. What is clear is the Supreme Court's statement that the basic protections in the Geneva Convention's common article 3 require that Hamdan [and those similarly situated] be tried by a "regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples." The checks and balances work, albeit slowly, and the Guantanamo detainees will now be afforded basic due process as guaranteed to all under the U.S. Constitution. On Independence Day it is more important than ever to remind Americans, and free people everywhere, to zealously guard their liberty and to preserve their right to fundamental due process at all costs! Now, more so than ever, the price of freedom is eternal vigilence. Thanks to all of you for your kind remarks on our 230th birthday.
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Post by windtimber on Jul 3, 2006 18:30:33 GMT
Just some of that "reckless fortitude" I mentioned!
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Post by windtimber on Jul 3, 2006 17:26:27 GMT
William Ellery, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock Joseph Howes, William Hooper, Robert Treat Paine, Richard Stockton, George Walton, and William Whipple.
On the 230th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence please recognize the reckless fortitude of the nine known Freemasons who labored in Philadelphia through the hot summer of 1776 and appended their signatures to what could have been their own death sentence if the Revolution failed.
Would you and I have the strength of belief and character to act upon our principles for the same terrible price?
Happy 4th of July!
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Post by windtimber on Jun 5, 2006 15:44:15 GMT
Interesting discussion - upon which I am not qualified to comment as I am not Catholic.
Since it might be of some interest to some of you, and demonstrates a completely different church/Masonic appreciation - my connection to Freemasonry began with my minister. He is a Freemason, answered my questions about the lodge, signed my petition, and mentored me through the process and, though now moved far away, remains my good, staunch friend and brother. Ordained and in good standing in the United Church of Christ for many decades, he has also been a Mason for many decades and served in Grand Lodge positions as well.
Strange indeed the sectarian differences that divide us, isn't it? Then again, perhaps there's good reason for that as well...
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Post by windtimber on May 26, 2006 14:02:36 GMT
GM of Tibet - An inviting prospect. He'll be able to solve the riddle of the existence of the Yeti I imagine?
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Post by windtimber on May 17, 2006 3:32:21 GMT
Tie? Suit? Formal wear? Gloves? Just clean up a bit so you don't stink, wash your hands and face, tuck in your shirt, take off your hat, wipe your feet, and come to lodge. As Masons it is the inner, not the outer, man with whom we are concerned. As stated in a previous post the "uniform" of a Freemason is a white leather apron or lambskin. Keep in mind the guy who wrote this is pictured at the left in formal wear - but he'll sit in lodge next to a cattleman fresh in from the feedlot. It just doesn't make any difference!
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Post by windtimber on May 1, 2006 1:20:35 GMT
From what we can ascertain so far, none of the standard rituals from the UK under the UGLE use such, nor, it seems, in the USA. The ritual approved by the Grand Lodge of South Dakota includes Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 in the 3rd Degree.
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Post by windtimber on May 2, 2006 16:06:56 GMT
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Post by windtimber on May 1, 2006 1:14:47 GMT
That indicates that I am speaking about the past, so the subsequent words what is effectively a boozing club are in the historic present, i.e., grammatically presnt indicative but with the sense of past historic. OK, "is" = "was." Must be one of those things that doesn't translate quite right between U.S. and U.K English! 'Nuff said on the subject.
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Post by windtimber on Apr 27, 2006 22:34:55 GMT
Just to confuse matters, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (or Shriners) have an Arabian Nights theme, and so used to be known as Muslims. This dates from the times when the only Arabs one were likely ever to meet were between the pages of Burton's translation, so the gross insensitivity of naming what is effectively a boozing club after a religion pledged to sobriety, never really occurred to anyone. Ruff, that's not quite right. Take a look at www.shrinershq.org/shrine/shorthistory.html. As a Freemason and Shriner I can assure you that the Shrine is not "effectively a boozing club." Yes, it began primarily as a social club in part because Masonic Lodges in the USA are almost always "dry." Yes, Shrine Centers [The term Shrine Mosque is no longer PC.] have bars and we throw dances, parties, and whoop it up from time to time. However, as you'll see from the link, there's much, much more.
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Post by windtimber on Apr 22, 2006 17:22:43 GMT
Saw the first installment but not the other two. It seemed fair enough and comments by the director of the Masonic Service Association were well done. Sure, Dan Brown will make some more money and so will the movie producers, advertisers, and everyone else...but Freemasonry will get some press as well! Last year the bit of fluff National Treasure was a transient cinema success - but you'd be amazed how many people started asking about my Masonic ring and lapel pin after they saw the film. My 10 year old dragged her buddies to the movies to watch it - and when I'd pick her up she'd grab my hand, point to my ring, and tell her friends "See, I told you it was true!" A little public relations never hurts, does it?
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Post by windtimber on Apr 23, 2006 12:46:05 GMT
In our jurisdiction each lodge is expected to have an "Education Officer" to (1) present a short paper or presentation on some interesting aspect of Freemasonry at each stated meeting and (2) be a resource for brothers, new and old alike, who have questions. The Education Officer does not need to "know it all" but should be friendly, approachable, and willing to sit down with a brother, particularly a new brother, and work with him and guide him towards legitimate, useful resources.
Many U.S. Grand Lodges are promulgating comprehensive "loose leaf" primers chock full of history of the particular grand lodge, its programs, locations of constitutent lodges, time of stated meetings, etc. Several have "improvement programs" consisting of collected essays, lectures, explanations, and review materials. The Grand Lodge of Wisconsin has a number of electronic items available on its website that offer brothers old and new alike a wealth of information. It's edited by, and updated by, the Grand Lodge to assure accuracy and "lack of wackiness." I'm sure there are many others - my brother-in-law from WI clued me in to the WI programs.
Regarding "wackiness" simply telling a new brother to "go out and start your reasearch" gives him a great opportunity to find all the crazy websites out there - we've lost at least one new initiate after somebody told him to go look on the 'net to learn about what he'd just been through. Get him started right and things like that won't happen...
Another point - every initiate MUST have a mentor. It probably should be whomever proposed him for membership. But don't expect that to happen automatically. Insist that someone be responsible to call him, see if he's got any questions, be a friend and resource. The Master, membership chairman, Education Officer, Secretary or some particularly responsible party needs to make sure the mentor/initiate relationship exists and is functioning.
Final point - every initiate has to have a duty/responsibility/job! Before they leave after the 1st degree is done GIVE HIM A JOB even if it's as simple as picking up a pound of coffee for the next stated meeting. Make sure a new man has something particular to do, preferably something familiar and easy, and tell him when and where to be next time. That will get him back, start him talking with folks, and give him a true sense of "ownership" in the Lodge. If the next meeting is FC rather than EA, have him show up to make coffee for the brothers when the FC work is done. Explain to him that he can't participate in that meeting, but you want him there to visit and enjoy the company of his brothers. He gets there at 8:30 instead of 7:30, makes coffee, and gets to know you all! Care and guidance is part of fraternal friendship - help these guys along and you'll have dedicated and active brothers!
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Post by windtimber on Apr 24, 2006 17:15:35 GMT
OK, I got my teenage son to help me get the Indiana video to play. There IS an unfortunate bit at about 5 minutes into the clip..the "businesss network" graphic and few seconds of comment gave me a bit of a pause. It doesn't say anything that's necessarily untrue - but taken separately it's very, well, unfortunate is perhaps the right word. I trust [hope?] that an inquirer viewing the video would pay more attention to the vast majority of the clip dealing with history, self-improvment, and other points. I suspect that somebody thought "networking" was an upbeat, 21st Century way to describe lodge relationships, and that got morphed by a video producer/editor into "business networking."
Is there anybody from Indiana out there who wants to make a comment?
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Post by windtimber on Apr 23, 2006 13:28:26 GMT
OK, I'm in the U.S. but not from Indiana! Also, I can't get the damn thing to open and play so I'm writing from your comments rather than personally verified facts [How's that for a dangerous admission?]. Masonry IS NOT promoted in the U.S. as a business development tool. If someone petitions and starts on the degree path with the idea he's going to hand out business cards and solicit sales it will take about 35 seconds for that misconception to be quashed.
That said, does Masonry develop relationships that transcend the lodge hall - absolutely! If I need a product or service and I'm an intelligent businessman I'll solicit offers from each qualified vendor. If one stands above the others, he gets my business. If he and his competitors are in all respects equal but one of the vendors is my Lodge brother, where do you suppose I'll probably do business? And, when my brother's firm is not my choice, do you think I'll go visit with him and point out the factors that caused me to go to his competition? Of course I will. Would I do that for the other losing vendors who are not my brothers? Probably not. Perhaps that's the point being made in the Indiana video - again I haven't seen it so maybe I'm WAY off base.
As I've participated in this board over the last several months I've learned a lot from all of you. But something I didn't previously realize really stands out - apparently U.S. Masonry is a lot more public than in the U.K. and other places. We slap Masonic symbols on the back of our cars, put signs on our lodge halls, invite folks in to rent our meeting rooms, hold open houses, inquirer's nights, and otherwise try and show the public that Freemasons have something the rest of society might be searrching for - honesty, morality, a group willing to talk about the "big things" in life and what makes a good and full life, a cadre of trusted friends who you know are there for you when you need them and an expectation that YOU will help out when they need you.
I don't know if that approach is necessarily the best or most historically and philosophically accurate. I just know it works for us in our little lodge out on the praire. The important thing is that we all do what is right for our separate locations/jurisdictions and assure that the great experience of Freemasonry continues on!
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Post by windtimber on Mar 30, 2006 17:57:57 GMT
Recalling that some years back the University of Minnesota Weismann Art Museum had a touring exhibition on "The Theatre of the Fraternity" displaying Scottish Rite stage drops, scenery, etc., wouldn't it be outstanding if some of our architecture could be exposed to the public in the same manner? Could be an excellent public relations opportunity... This links to some archived information on the U of M exhibit: www.weisman.umn.edu/exhibits/TofF/TofF.html
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Post by windtimber on Mar 20, 2006 16:05:55 GMT
Wow...the Philadelphia Masonic Temple/Pennsylvania Grand Lodge website is outstanding! The challenge we face to maintain our Temple - opulent by South Dakota standards but a mere outbuilding by Philadelphia standards - must be nothing by comparison...
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Post by windtimber on Mar 19, 2006 2:16:35 GMT
Oops...I must have been using a pretty high resolution when I took the 2 big ones! Hope the modification works....
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Post by windtimber on Mar 18, 2006 20:28:03 GMT
By and large I like to visit Masonic buildings where ever I find them. Some are remarkably opulent and others are utilitarian - but we're welcome where ever we are and always have a Brother nearby. Isn't great to be a Freemason? Here are 3 from a recent trip to the Rockies and back: Fairplay, CO Leadville, CO Torrington, WY
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Post by windtimber on Mar 17, 2006 4:15:09 GMT
The cast wears gloves in the 2nd section of the 3rd degree...otherwise, no. That's in South Dakota, USA, anyway.
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