2008-2009

FROM THE EAST
Dear Brethren:

The Japanese sword is an object of beauty to behold and to train with. It is noted for its superb sharpness, balance, and its aesthetic appeal. It is rumored that the finest swords contain spirits of their own. The process begins by the Master Sword Maker preparing himself by praying for days at the Shrine. He then heats the molten metal and with his two assistants, he controls the intensity, amount, and timing of their pounding with their huge hammers, which fold the iron ore back upon itself - time and time again. It is reheated, and the process repeated over and over again. Eventually it takes shape, and it is then sent to the sword polisher, who sharpens the blade and brings the surface to a mirror like finish, showing not only the grain of the sword, but also the temper line. It is then returned to the Master Sword Smith for his signature.

How not unlike the fate we enjoy as Freemasons. Throughout the vicissitudes of life, that continually pound us on a daily basis, we must become better for having endured them. We must pattern ourselves after Job in the Holy Bible. He lost his all, possessions, his family, and was eventually smitten by disease, but he would not go against God or even question the motives of the G.A.O.T.U.

I once knew a man who owned a pizza restaurant not far from where I used to live. He always used to say,"God knows what God's doin." Sylvio had a simple tooth ache which later evolved into numerous tests that uncovered cancer of the jawbone. No matter what he went through, he would always repeat the same phrase," God knows what God's doin." Eventually the numerous surgeries left his face so deformed that he was unrecognizable as the man I once knew. When I last saw him, he could not speak as his face had become so swollen and disfigured. He waved to me and pointed with one finger toward the heavens, and I knew exactly what he meant.

My brothers, as upright men and Masons we have a spiritual obligation to uphold. We need only remember the words we spoke, and the advice that was given to us to bring Light to our path on a daily basis. We are not alone in our quest. We have each other. We have the Brotherhood. And, we have an obligation to ourselves to help those if found worthy. Rudyard Kipling wrote in My New-cut Ashlar:

"Help me to need no help from men,
That I may help such men as need."

I conclude my message with an excerpt of another of Kipling's classic poems, If:

"If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!"

May you and yours be blessed as much as you are able to receive it.

Cordially and fraternally,
W.'.M.'.Jonathan Patrick
drjonapatrick@comcast.net

FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK
 
We can only presume that everyone received the last Communication either via email or regular post. We had only one message from a brother who could not download it. Consequently, we will replicate the procedure with this and future Communications. If you received the Communication both ways, please let us know. Congratulations to our brother, R.'.W.'.Martin Dashevsky, on his election as Treasurer of our Lodge. Is it true that the R.'.W.'. has now sat in every chair in the Lodge? As an aside, I do not know how many brothers truly appreciate how expertly R.'.W.'.Dashevsky exercised his many time-consuming duties as Secretary of our Lodge for more than a decade-with facility, proficiency, knowledge and versatility.

With fraternal affection,
Bro. Ted H. Jacobsen
thjnycusa@aol.com

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